Apoptosis-enhancing nuclease (AEN)

Apoptosis-enhancing nuclease (AEN) is a nuclear exonuclease that acts on both single- and double-stranded DNA and RNA and is directly induced by the tumor suppressor protein p53 following DNA damage[1][3]. It contains conserved exonuclease domains and translocates from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm during apoptosis, promoting DNA fragmentation and contributing to the execution phase of p53-dependent apoptosis[1]. AEN also participates in regulating autophagic processes under genotoxic stress and can decrease clonogenic survival independent of classical apoptosis pathways[2]. Its function links p53 signaling, apoptosis, and autophagy—processes relevant for tumor suppression and genotoxic stress responses[1][2][3].

Other names

ISG20L1SBBI58FLJ12484FLJ12562Interferon-stimulated 20 kDa exonuclease-like 1pp12744apoptosis-enhancing nucleaseinterferon-stimulated exonuclease gene 20kDa-like 1

Induction of apoptosis through DNA and RNA degradation in a p53-dependent manner, modulation of autophagy