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Query: UNIPROT:P04637 (p53)
 77,613 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Genetic analyses of unusual hereditary cancers and of common neoplasms suggest that tumorigenesis proceeds through a series of genetic alterations involving oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. Such genes can be viewed as tumor-susceptibility genes, and DNA tests that examine them might be useful in determining an increased risk of cancer development before the onset of a tumor. Indeed, DNA tests have already proved useful in the genetic counseling of families with an increased risk of rare inherited diseases such as retinoblastoma, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2a, or Li-Fraumeni syndrome. The current investigation of these familial disorders is enabling the development of expertise, reagents, and methods that will eventually focus on the most common cancers. In assessing risk for these common tumors, several genes will probably require study to achieve more accurate prediction of cancer risk. For example, genetic abnormalities of the ras oncogene and of either the retinoblastoma gene (Rb) or the p53 tumor-suppressor gene have been found in many tumors and appear to be particularly important in the study of individuals at increased risk of lung, breast, or colon cancers. In addition, the study of tumor-associated markers that might already be detectable in the preneoplastic state can be carried out in parallel with tests that search for evidence of mutations in tumor-susceptibility genes. Finally, both classes of markers might be complementary in genetic counseling or screening of populations at increased risk. However, the capacity for detecting tumor-susceptibility markers creates a responsibility for the physician in terms of the proper use of this information.
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PMID:Tumor-susceptibility markers. 161 94

This article describes the significance of the mouse transgenic model in elucidation of the role and the oncogenic potential of such genes as N-ras, pim-1, bcl-2, myc and p53. The role of gene targetting by homologous recombination in the study of preneoplastic state in the mice model was also discussed.
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PMID:[Transgenic mice for analysis of neoplasm transformation processes of T and B lymphocytes]. 884 21

Members of the Runx and MYC families have been implicated as collaborating oncogenes. The mechanism of this potent collaboration is elucidated in this study of Runx2/MYC mice. As shown previously, ectopic expression of Runx2 in the thymus leads to a preneoplastic state defined by an accumulation of cells with an immature phenotype and a low proliferative rate. We now show that c-MYC overexpression is sufficient to rescue proliferation and to release the differentiation block imposed by Runx2. Analysis of Runx2-expressing lymphomas reveals a consistently low rate of apoptosis, in contrast to lymphomas of MYC mice which are often highly apoptotic. The low apoptosis phenotype is dominant in Runx2/MYC tumors, indicating that Runx2 confers a potent survival advantage to MYC-expressing tumor cells. The role of the p53 pathway in Runx2/MYC tumors was explored on a p53 heterozygote background. Surprisingly, functional p53 was retained in vivo, even after transplantation, whereas explanted tumor cells displayed rapid allele loss in vitro. Our results show that Runx2 and MYC overcome distinct "fail-safe" responses and that their selection as collaborating genes is due to their ability to neutralize each other's negative growth effect. Furthermore, the Runx2/MYC combination overcomes the requirement for genetic inactivation of the p53 pathway in vivo.
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PMID:Runx2 and MYC collaborate in lymphoma development by suppressing apoptotic and growth arrest pathways in vivo. 1648 21

As a frontier organ, skin is exposed to different environmental and/or occupational chemicals which cause cutaneous cancers in experimental animals. In mice, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthrancene (DMBA) and the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) are frequently used as skin model tumor initiator and promoter, respectively. The sequential administration of DMBA and TPA leads to the appearance of a large number of benign papillomas, of which some convert later into invasive squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). At the molecular level, initiation of carcinogenesis in mouse skin consists in the mutational activation of the Ha-ras oncoprotein. HA-RAS mutations are rare in human SCC, but HA-RAS-mutated tumors appear in melanoma patients treated with B-raf inhibitors, indicating that initiated, HA-RAS-mutated stem cells also reside in human skin. Similarly, UV-induced human SCC show footprint mutations in the tumor suppressor gene TP53 which are also observed in UV-induced mouse SCC. Strong species differences exist with respect to phorbol ester-mediated tumor promotion. While certain mouse strains are very susceptible, other rodent species are much less sensitive. Likewise, humans appear to be much more resistant to phorbol ester-mediated skin toxicity. Papilloma formation as a result of a chemical insult is uncommon in men, questioning the relevance of this preneoplastic lesion for humans. However, skin tumorigenesis in the experimental situation and in humans appears to follow common molecular mechanisms, even though there are species differences in the morphological correlates to the preneoplastic state. Therefore, we recommend not simply labeling them as irrelevant for human risk assessment.
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PMID:Non-melanoma skin cancer in mouse and man. 2326 22