title: Mutant p53: One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand.
abstract: Encoded by the mutated variants of the TP53 tumor suppressor gene, mutant p53 proteins are getting an increased experimental support as active oncoproteins promoting tumor growth and metastasis. p53 missense mutant proteins are losing their wild-type tumor suppressor activity and acquire oncogenic potential, possessing diverse transforming abilities in cell and mouse models. Whether various mutant p53s differ in their oncogenic potential has been a matter of debate. Recent discoveries are starting to uncover the existence of mutant p53 downstream programs that are common to different mutant p53 variants. In this review, we discuss a number of studies on mutant p53, underlining the advantages and disadvantages of alternative experimental approaches that have been used to describe the numerous mutant p53 gain-of-function activities. Therapeutic possibilities are also discussed, taking into account targeting either individual or multiple mutant p53 proteins in human cancer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Nazionale CIB, Area Science Park Padriciano , Trieste , Italy.
authors.forename: Dawid
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walerych
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Nazionale CIB, Area Science Park Padriciano, Trieste, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lisek
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Nazionale CIB, Area Science Park Padriciano, Trieste, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giannino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Sal
keywords: cancer; combination; drug therapy; gain-of-function; oncogenes; p53 mutation; tumor suppressor proteins