Prospects for p53-based cancer therapy.
The p53 tumor suppressor plays the role of a cellular hub which gathers stress signals such as damage to DNA or hypoxia and translates them into a complex response. p53 exerts its action mainly as a potent transcription factor. The two major outcomes of p53 activity are highlighted: cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. During malignant transformation p53 or p53-pathway related molecules are disabled extremely often. Mutations in p53 gene are present in every second human tumor. A mutant form of p53 may not only negate the wild type p53 function but may play additional role in tumor progression. Therefore p53 represents a relatively unique and specific target for anticancer drug design. Current approaches include several different molecules able to restore p53 wild-type conformation and activity. Such small molecule drugs hold great promise in treating human tumors with dysfunction of p53 pathway in the near future.
Department of Immunology, Center for Biostructure, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland. tstoklosa@ib.amwaw.edu.pl
Tomasz
T
Stokłosa
Jakub
J
Gołab
D000818:Animals; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020125:Mutation, Missense / Q000235:genetics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53