The dark side of a tumor suppressor: anti-apoptotic p53.
Depending on multiple factors DNA damage leads either to cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. One of the main players deciding the fate of a cell is the tumor suppressor p53 that modulates these responses in a transcription-dependent and -independent manner. Over the past few years, however, strong evidence accumulated that p53 engages also powerful pro-survival pathways by transcriptionally activating a multitude of genes whose products efficiently counteract apoptosis. Our review summarizes the current knowledge concerning approximately forty p53-regulated proteins that exert their anti-apoptotic potential by interfering with diverse cellular processes. These activities are surely essential for normal development and maintenance of a healthy organism, but may easily turn into the dark side of the tumor suppressor p53 contributing to tumorigenesis.
Jänicke
R U
RU
Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany. janicke@uni-duesseldorf.de
Sohn
D
D
Schulze-Osthoff
K
K
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004260:DNA Repair; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology*
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53