title: Alterations of the p53 and pRB pathways in human astrocytoma.
abstract: Human astrocytomas are characterized by a number of molecular changes affecting two critical tumor suppressor pathways: the pRB and the p53 pathways. Genetic alterations functionally eliminate pRB and p53 themselves or upstream and/or downstream molecules such as products of the Ink4a/ARF locus, p16Ink4a and p14ARF. As a result, malignant cells are defective in critical cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory elements contributing to unrelenting tumour growth and invasion. Current research aims to discover effective means of reconstituting p53 and pRB pathway components in an effort to attenuate the aggressive phenotype of astrocytoma.
authors.affiliation: Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, and Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. rutka@sickkids.on.ca
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Rutka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ivanchuk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsugu
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hamel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53