p73: Friend or foe in tumorigenesis
G Melino, V De Laurenzi, KH Vousden - Nature Reviews Cancer, 2002 - nature.com
G Melino, V De Laurenzi, KH Vousden
Nature Reviews Cancer, 2002•nature.comAs p53 and its homologue p73 have significant sequence and functional similarities, p73
might also be expected to act as a tumour suppressor. However, p73 is activated after DNA
damage in a way that is distinct from that of p53. The existence of ΔNp73—an isoform of p73
that is encoded by a distinct promoter and that lacks the transactivation domain—further
complicates matters. It seems to function as an oncogene by inhibiting both p73-and p53-
induced apoptosis. So how can these opposing functions be reconciled in human tumours?
might also be expected to act as a tumour suppressor. However, p73 is activated after DNA
damage in a way that is distinct from that of p53. The existence of ΔNp73—an isoform of p73
that is encoded by a distinct promoter and that lacks the transactivation domain—further
complicates matters. It seems to function as an oncogene by inhibiting both p73-and p53-
induced apoptosis. So how can these opposing functions be reconciled in human tumours?
Abstract
As p53 and its homologue p73 have significant sequence and functional similarities, p73 might also be expected to act as a tumour suppressor. However, p73 is activated after DNA damage in a way that is distinct from that of p53. The existence of ΔNp73 — an isoform of p73 that is encoded by a distinct promoter and that lacks the transactivation domain — further complicates matters. It seems to function as an oncogene by inhibiting both p73- and p53-induced apoptosis. So how can these opposing functions be reconciled in human tumours?
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