Mutant p53 in cell-cell interactions

p53 is an important tumor suppressor, and the complexities of p53 function in regulating cancer cell behaviour are well established. Many cancers lose or express mutant forms of p53, with evidence that the type of alteration affecting p53 may differentially impact cancer development and progression. It is also clear that in addition to cell-autonomous functions, p53 status also affects the way cancer cells interact with each other. In this review, we briefly examine the impact of different p53 mutations and focus on how heterogeneity of p53 status can affect relationships between cells within a tumor.

Automated summary

p53 is a crucial tumor suppressor gene, and mutations in p53 can impact cancer development and progression. In addition to its cell-autonomous functions, the status of p53 can also influence the interactions between cancer cells.