Functional interplay between the DNA-damage-response kinase ATM and ARF tumour suppressor protein in human cancer

The ATM checkpoint kinase and the tumour suppressor ARF are thought to act separately to counteract tumorigenesis. Bartek, Gorgoulis and colleagues find that in transformed cells, ATM negatively regulates the levels and activity of ARF. In cell culture and mouse xenograft experiments, ATM inhibition promotes ARF-mediated tumour suppression, demonstrating an interplay between these pathways.