DJ-1, a novel oncogene which transforms mouse NIH3T3 cells in cooperation with ras

We have isolated and characterized the cDNA encoding a novel protein designated DJ-1, DJ-1, sharing no significant homology with the sequences so far reported, did not show transactivation activity in the Ga14 recombinant system, but transformed mouse NIH3T3 cells by itself, Furthermore, DJ-1 showed a cooperative transforming activity with H-Ras, more than 3 times as strong as the activity of ras/myc combination. DJ-1 was ubiquitously expressed in various human tissues, and the expression was induced by growth stimuli, Moreover, DJ-1 translocated from cytoplasm to nuclei in the S phase of the cell cycle. DJ-1 is thus suggested to be a novel mitogen-dependent oncogene product involved in a Ras-related signal transduction pathway. (C) 1997 Academic Press.