Cathepsin Q (CTSQ)

p53 transactivates cathepsin Q to trigger necrotic death in Bax and Bak DKO cells. DKO cells with or without p53 knockdown were treated with etoposide for 6 h. DKO cells transduced with control retrovirus (pSuper-Retro) or retrovirus expressing scrambled shRNA or shRNA against indicated cathepsins were treated with etoposide for 3 days. DKO cells transduced with retrovirus expressing scrambled shRNA or shRNA against cathepsin Q were irradiated with UV and cell death was assessed at day 4. (D) Intron 1 of cathepsin Q is responsive to p53. Luciferase reporter constructs containing the intron 1 of cathepsin Q, the intron 1 of cathepsin Q with a mutated p53 binding site, or the promoter of cathepsin Q were assayed for transactivation by wild-type p53 in Saos-2 cells 24 h after transfection with the indicated reporters and either p53 or vector control.