The modification of intracellular redox conditions with diethylmaleate (DEM), a glutathione-depleting agent, induces a p53-independent growth arrest mediated by the accumulation of p21waf1 mRNA and protein. The same treatment also induces the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) dephosphorylation. This dephosphorylation (i) is very fast, being observed already 5 min after the exposure of the cells to DEM, (ii) is dependent on the prooxidant effects of DEM, being prevented by the treatment with N-acetylcysteine and (iii) is completely reversible, since the rephosphorylation of pRb is promptly obtained upon the removal of the glutathione-depleting agent from the culture medium. The dephosphorylation of pRb is independent of the accumulation of p21waf1 induced by DEM; in fact, p21waf1 levels start to increase much later after DEM treatment and accordingly cyclin-dependent kinase activities are not yet induced when pRb is already dephosphorylated following DEM treatment. Finally, pRb dephosphorylation is catalyzed by phosphatases activated by DEM treatment.
