title: Tumor suppressor p53 meets microRNAs.
abstract: Tumor suppressor p53 plays a central role in tumor prevention. As a transcription factor, p53 mainly exerts its function through transcription regulation of its target genes to initiate various cellular responses. To maintain its proper function, p53 is tightly regulated by a wide variety of regulators in cells. Thus, p53, its regulators and regulated genes form a complex p53 network which is composed of hundreds of genes and their products. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenously expressed, small non-coding RNA molecules which play a key role in regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Recent studies have demonstrated that miRNAs interact with p53 and its network at multiple levels. p53 regulates the transcription expression and the maturation of a group of miRNAs. On the other hand, miRNAs can regulate the activity and function of p53 through direct repression of p53 or its regulators in cells. These findings have demonstrated that miRNAs are important components in the p53 network, and also added another layer of complexity to the p53 network.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Institute of New Jersey, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA. fengzh@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Zhaohui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Cen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wenwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53