Inhibition of DNA synthesis by TGF-beta 1 coincides with inhibition of phosphorylation and cytoplasmic translocation of p53 protein.

Immunostaining demonstrated that p53 protein was localized in the cytoplasm of growing MCF-7 cells and in the nuclei of cells that were growth arrested by serum starvation. Serum stimulation of the arrested cells induced marked increases in DNA synthesis and p53 phosphorylation, and translocation of the protein from the nucleus to the cytoplasm at 20 h after the stimulation. This increase in the DNA synthesis that was significantly inhibited by TGF-beta 1 was coincident with the inhibition of phosphorylation and cytoplasmic translocation of the p53 protein.