Role of p53 in Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

The tumor suppressor p53 has been shown to play a central role in tumor suppression by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, senescence, and DNA repair. In addition, recent observations indicate that the dysfunction of p53 is associated with the development of autoimmune diseases. In this review, we discuss the importance of p53 in various human and murine autoimmune diseases. We also discuss the role of p53 in controlling the balance between Th17 cells and Tregs, the alteration of which is shown to be involved in the development of autoimmunity. It is postulated that the selective restoration of p53 function in T cells could be applicable to the treatment of systemic autoimmune diseases.