P19Arf-p53 tumor suppressor pathway regulates cell motility by suppression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and Rac1 GTPase activities

The p19(Arf)-p53 tumor suppressor pathway plays a critical role in cell-cycle checkpoint control and apoptosis, whereas Rho family small GTPases are key regulators of actin structure and cell motility. By using primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts that lack Arf, p53, or both, we studied the involvement of the p19(Arf)-p53 pathway in the regulation of cell motility and its relationship with Rho GTPases. Deletion of Arf and/or p53 led to actin cytoskeleton reorganization and a significant increase in cell motility. The endogenous phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase and Rac1 activities were elevated in Arf(-/-) and p53(-/-) cells, and these activities are required for p19(Arf)- and p53-regulated migration. Reintroduction of the wild type Arf or p53 genes into Arf(-/-) or p53(-/-) cells reversed the PI 3-kinase and Rho GTPase activities as well as the migration phenotype. These results suggest a functional relationship between an established tumor suppressor pathway and a signaling module that controls actin structure and cell motility and show that p19(Arf) and p53 negatively regulate cell migration by suppression of PI 3-kinase and Rac1 activities.