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J.Health Sci., 49(4), 273-277, 2003
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The Role of p53 Molecule in Radiation and Hyperthermic Therapies
Jun-ichi Yasumoto,a Akihisa
Takahashi,b Ken
Ohnishi,b and Takeo
Ohnishi*, b
aDepartments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and
bDepartment of Biology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara,
Nara 634-8521, Japan
In recent years, cancer-related genes have been analyzed at the molecular level as predictive indicators for
cancer therapy. Among those genes, the tumor suppressor gene
p53 is worthy of notice in cancer therapy,
because the p53 molecule prevents the malignant degeneration of non-cancer cells by regulating cell-cycle arrest,
apoptosis, and DNA repair. An abnormality of the
p53 gene introduces a genetic instability and increases the
incidence of carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. Therefore,
p53 is called a guardian of the genome. Mutations of
p53 are observed at a high frequency in human tumors, and are recognized in about half of all malignant tumors
in human head and neck cancers. We previously reported that radio- and heat-sensitivities of human cultured
tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells are
p53-dependent, and are closely correlated with the induction of apoptosis.
In a human cell culture system, the interactive hyperthermic enhancement of radiosensitivity was observed in
wild-type p53 cells, but not in mutated p53 cells. In a transplanted tumor system, the combination therapies of
radiation and hyperthermia induced efficient tumor growth depression and apoptosis in the wild-type p53
tumors. In this review, we discuss the p53 activation signaling pathways through the modification of p53
molecules, such as phosphorylation after radiation and hyperthermia treatments.
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