THE CHALLENGE OF P53 - LINKING BIOCHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, AND PATIENT-MANAGEMENT

Abnormalities of the p53 tumor suppressor gene are the single most com mon molecular abnormality seen in human cancer, Considerable evidence indicates that the product of this gene has critical roles in coordina ting the response of cells to a diverse range of environmental stresse s, At present, there is a gamut of biochemical properties and interact ions ascribed to p53, but the in vivo physiological relevance of many of these remains uncertain. The development of clinical applications a nd novel therapeutic strategies utilizing our knowledge of p53 is cont ingent upon bridging the gap between rigorous biochemistry and holisti c in vivo studies.