P53 Protein and Its Fundamental Role in the Cell Cycle, Apoptosis and Cancer

Abstract

P53 is activated in response to DNA damage, hypoxia, oncogenesis expression to promote the cell cycle checkpoints, DNA repair, cell senescence and apoptosis. These activities are important for the suppression of tumor formation and mediate cellular responses that are related to the cell cycle control, being the key element and also the main obstacle to the suppression of tumors. A better understanding of the apoptotic mechanism of p53 may promote the development of in vitro and in vivo assays, contributing to improve cancer diagnosis and prognosis and also helping with the deployment of rational strategies that advance the treatment therapies. In this way, this review is intended to present the effects of p53 protein on cells and show how it works on the activation of specific genes to promote the cell control and regulation and clarify the mysteries evolving the cell regulation mediated by p53 protein.