ZytoLight ® SPEC MDM4/1p12 Dual Color Probe

The ZytoLight ® SPEC MDM4/1p12 Dual Color Probe is designed for the detection of MDM4 gene amplifications found in 10-20% of various tumors such as lung, colon, stomach, and breast cancers, as well as in 65% of retinoblastomas. The MDM4 (mouse double minute 4 homolog) gene (a.k.a. HDMX or MDMX) is located in the chromosomal region 1q32.1 and encodes a 490-amino acid protein which shows significant structural similarity to the p53-binding protein MDM2. Like MDM2, the oncogene MDM4 can bind to p53 thereby inactivating the function of p53 as a transcriptional activator. In addition, MDM4 has been shown to bind to MDM2 resulting in inhibition of MDM2 degradation. Antitumor strategies employing combined inhibitors of the two oncogenic proteins MDM2 and MDM4 may lead to an effective activation of the tumor suppressor p53.