What is the p53 gene and it effect on cancer?!
Question: Hi Tracie. Tumor suppressor gene p53 is known as the "Guardian of the Genome".
The p53 protein is defective or absent in about 50% of all cancers. This protein plays a major role in regulating the cell cycle.
The cell cycle is the process cells go through to duplicate/reproduce themselves. The cell cycle has several 'check points' that are regulated by tumor suppressor proteins such as p53. If there is DNA damage in the cell, p53 (along with dozens of other factors) stops the cell cycle from going forward until DNA repair mechanisms repair the DNA damage.
When p53 is defective or absent, then the cell cycle can procede inspite of having DNA damage and replicate the cell. This can lead to mutations in the daughter cell, mutations that can eventually lead to cancer.
Best wishes and good luck.
Answers: Hi Tracie. Tumor suppressor gene p53 is known as the "Guardian of the Genome".
The p53 protein is defective or absent in about 50% of all cancers. This protein plays a major role in regulating the cell cycle.
The cell cycle is the process cells go through to duplicate/reproduce themselves. The cell cycle has several 'check points' that are regulated by tumor suppressor proteins such as p53. If there is DNA damage in the cell, p53 (along with dozens of other factors) stops the cell cycle from going forward until DNA repair mechanisms repair the DNA damage.
When p53 is defective or absent, then the cell cycle can procede inspite of having DNA damage and replicate the cell. This can lead to mutations in the daughter cell, mutations that can eventually lead to cancer.
Best wishes and good luck.
More medically inclined websites than you could shake a stick at....
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=p53...
However, I took a look in google scholar, and it looks like its died out as a topic of research about a decade ago...
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&...
My old friend the p53!! I've self studied this gene quite a bit since my dx. with lung cancer trying to find out ways to kick start it. This is basically what it does:
p53 prevents the growth of cancerous cells and is found in the nucleus of every cell in the body , acting as a kind of caretaker of our DNA.
The p53 gene's main role is to clean up mistakes during the normal division and growth of cells in our body. If the p53 gene is damaged ultimately the human body is left highly susceptible to cancer.
I currently am using some herbs, vitamins and minerals and diet to keep my p53 genes activated. I did chemo, but it didn't help me at all, treatments are terminated and I am left to self treatment. So far.....so good :-)
Studies continue into 2008 in oncology on the p53 gene and its effect on cancer.