10 years ago today, at the 6th International Mutant p53 Workshop in Toronto, I first presented evidence to the world that p53 is not just a tumor suppressor, but that it is also a proto-oncogene (wild-type)! The p53 oncogene (mutated) was already well known but it was believed that, unlike all other oncogenes, the p53 oncogene originated directly from a tumor suppressor through neomorphic mutations (mutations by which the altered gene product acquires novel molecular functions). I showed that there is a proto-oncogene within p53 that is pro-oncogenic from the start, in its wild-type form, and that evolved with mammals for millions of years. I proposed that it is this product of evolution, this proto-oncogene, that becomes the mutated (over-activated) p53 oncogene in cancers and that we have to learn more about it so that we can target it to cure this disease. Part of our supporting data on the existence of a p53 proto-oncogene is now available via the servers at EMBO Reports, IJMS and BioRxiv (please consult the links below). MaRCU continues in its efforts to learn more about and to target this new proto-oncogene, which is possibly the most mutated proto-oncogene in cancer. (Contact areap53lab@gmail.com if you want to support our research.)
Our research about p53 proto-oncogene: 2016, 2022, 2023.
“(p53) is possibly the most mutated proto-oncogene in cancer”
10 years have passed since the discovery of p53 proto-oncogene. Are we closer to a cure for cancer now?
Actually, the main paper hasn’t even been accepted for publication yet (part of the results were published in EMBO R. though, and another part was uploaded to BioRxiv, but most data do remain unpublished). With years under revision in Nature and other journals, much time is lost. Same for the funding, constant denials from governments and institutions to fund research on p53 proto-oncogene (even though p53 is likely the most mutated proto-oncogene in cancer and should thus be of the highest priority) greatly delay the progress on this critical subject; while old, young and children, keep dying of cancer every day. To support our research of what is likely the most crucial oncogene in our body, please contact areap53lab@gmail.com
What now?
I have decided to upload most of our findings to BioRxiv, so please stay connected! Hopefully other researchers in other parts of the world (and with more funding) will join in our efforts to understand and target this powerful oncogene.
BioRxiv links already available:
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.03.531004v1
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.04.07.536059v1
Please also read:
https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.15252/embr.201541956
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/24/15844
areap53.com 