title: p53, apoptosis and axon-guidance molecules.
abstract: The p53 tumor-suppressor gene regulates apoptosis through the transcriptional activation of its target genes. The expression of the axon-guidance molecule UNC5B (also designated p53RDL1), which is a receptor for netrin-1, is directly regulated by p53. In the absence of netrin-1, UNC5B mediates p53-dependent apoptosis. Conversely, in the presence of netrin-1, p53-induced apoptosis is inhibited through the signaling pathway activated by the interaction between netrin-1 and UNC5B. A number of other molecules that are involved in axon guidance are inactivated in human cancers and are also regulated by p53. These findings suggest a close link between axon-guidance molecules and tumorigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Medicine and Biophysics Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. harakawa@gan2.res.ncc.go.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arakawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53