All-trans retinoic acid induces cellular senescence via upregulation of p16, p21, and p27

We here present a new anti-tumor mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). ATRA induced several biomarkers of cellular senescence including irreversible G1 arrest, morphological changes, senescence-associated β-galactosidase, and heterochromatin foci in HepG2 cells. ATRA also upregulated levels of p16, p21, and p27 which lead to activation of Rb and subsequent inactivation of E2F1. These effects were abolished by the RNA interference-mediated silencing of p16, p21, and p27. Moreover, ATRA failed to induce cellular senescence in Huh7 and HCT116, in which p16, p21, and p27 were not upregulated by ATRA, confirming that ATRA induces cellular senescence via upregulation of p16, p21, and p27.

► All-trans retinoic acid up-regulates levels of p16, p21, and p27.
► ATRA activates Rb and subsequently inactivates E2F1.
► ATRA inhibits tumor cell growth by inducing cellular senescence.