Opposed arsenite-mediated regulation of p53-survivin is involved in neoplastic transformation, DNA damage, or apoptosis in human keratinocytes

Highlights: ► Different concentrations of arsenite cause biphasic effects in HaCaT cells. ► p53-survivin signal pathway plays a role in arsenite-induced biphasic effects. ► ERKs inactivate p53, but improve survivin expression by NF-κB/mot-2. ► JNKs block survivin expression by preventing p53 from mdm2-mediated degradation. ► ERKs and JNKs play roles in arsenite-induced biphasic effects. -- Abstract: Biphasic dose–response relationship induced by environmental agents is often characterized with the effect of low-dose stimulation and high dose inhibition. Some studies showed that arsenite may induce cell proliferation and apoptosis via biphasic dose–response relationship in human cells; however, mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well understood. Our present study shows that, for human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells, a low concentration of arsenite activates extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), which leads to up-regulation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) binding to DNA and to elevated, NF-κB-dependent expression of mot-2 (a p53 inhibitor) and survivin (an inhibitor of apoptosis). Activation of p53 is blocked, and neoplastic transformation is enhanced. Inhibition of ERKs reduces cell proliferation and neoplastic transformation. In contrast, a high concentration of arsenite activates c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), positive regulators of p53, by binding to p53 and preventing its murine double minute 2 (mdm2)-mediated degradation. The elevated levels of p53 lead to repair of DNA damage and apoptosis. Inhibition of JNKs increases DNA damage but decreases apoptosis. By identifying a mechanism whereby ERKs and JNKs-mediated regulation of the p53-survivin signal pathway is involved in the biphasic effects of arsenite on human keratinocytes, our data expand understanding of arsenite-induced cell proliferation, neoplastic transformation, DNA damage, and apoptosis.