Commentary - Mechanisms of p53-induced apoptosis

The p53 tumour suppressor gene functions in both cell cycle arrest and apop tosis. Despite considerable advances in understanding as to how p53 regulat es growth arrest, the mechanisms by which p53 regulates apoptosis are only just emerging. In particular, there appears to be a structural and function al separation between the ability of p53 to induce growth arrest and apopto sis. This review examines the interactions between p53-induced growth arres t and apoptosis, and the mechanisms of p53-induced apoptosis, both via indu ction of p53 transcriptional targets and via nontranscriptional mechanisms. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.