53 is one of the most important proteins in the human body when it comes to protecting us from cancer. It’s often called “the guardian of the genome” because of how it stops cells from turning cancerous.
What is p53??
- p53 is a protein made by the TP53 gene.
- It plays a key role in controlling cell division,DNA repair, and cell death(apoptosis).
- It acts like a quality control manager in your cells.
What does p53 do??
- Checks DNA for damage during cell division.
- If DNA is damaged, p53 :(a) Pauses the cell cycle to allow time to repair, (b) Triggers apoptosis(cell suicide) if the damage is too severe.
- Prevents the formation of tumors.
What happenes when p53 is Mutated?
- If the TP53 gene is mutated, the p53 protein doesn’t work properly.
- Cells with DNA damage keep dividing which can lead to cancer risk increases.
- p53 mutations are found in over 50% of human cancers.
Can we target p53 in Cancer Therapy??
Yes, Research is ongoing to :
- Reactivate p53 in tumors where it’s not working.
- Target cancers that rely on p53 mutations to survive.
Some experimental treatments aim to :
- Fix mutant p53
- Mimic its function
- Enhance p53 signaling pathways
p53 protects us from cancer and when it fails, cancer often begins.
