Disclosed is the isolation and characterization of EI24, a gene whose 2.4
kb mRNA is induced following etoposide treatment. Induction of EI24 mRNA
by etoposide required expression of wild-type p53. Overexpression of
functional p53 was sufficient to induce expression of the EI24 mRNA. The
EI24 mRNA was also induced in a p53-dependent manner by ionizing
irradiation of primary murine thymocytes. The invention is thus directed
to an isolated EI24 protein, nucleotide sequences coding for and
regulating expression of the protein, antibodies directed against the
protein, and recombinant vectors and host cells containing the genetic
sequences coding for and regulating the expression of the protein
sequence. Antibodies can be used to detect EI24 in biological specimens,
including, for example, human tissue samples.