The p53 tumor suppressor is a transcription factor with roles in cell development, apoptosis, oncogenesis, aging, and homeostasis in response to stresses and infections. p53 is tightly regulated by the MDM2 E3 ubiquitin ligase. The p53-MDM2 pathway has coevolved, with MDM2 remaining largely conserved, whereas the TP53 gene morphed into various isoforms. Studies on prevertebrate ancestral homologs revealed the transition from an environmentally induced mechanism activating p53 to a tightly regulated system involving cell signaling. The evolution of this mechanism depends on structural changes in the interacting protein motifs. Elephants such as Loxodonta africana constitute ideal models to investigate this coevolution as they are large and long-living as well as having 20 copies of TP53 isoformic sequences expressing a variety of BOX-I MDM2-binding motifs. Collectively, these isoforms would enhance sensitivity to cellular stresses, such as DNA damage, presumably accounting for strong cancer defenses and other adaptations favoring healthy aging. Here we investigate the molecular evolution of the p53-MDM2 system by combining in silico modeling and in vitro assays to explore structural and functional aspects of p53 isoforms retaining the MDM2 interaction, whereas forming distinct pools of cell signaling. The methodology used demonstrates, for the first time that in silico docking simulations can be used to explore functional aspects of elephant p53 isoforms. Our observations elucidate structural and mechanistic aspects of p53 regulation, facilitate understanding of complex cell signaling, and suggest testable hypotheses of p53 evolution referencing Peto's Paradox.

• Klíčová slova
• Loxodonta africana, Peto’s Paradox, intrinsic specificity, lifespan, model, molecular evolution, p53 retrogenes, structural variations,
• MeSH
• geny p53 MeSH
• nádorový supresorový protein p53 genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• nádory * genetika   MeSH
• protein - isoformy genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny c-mdm2 genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• sloni * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• ubikvitinace MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• nádorový supresorový protein p53 MeSH
• protein - isoformy MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny c-mdm2 MeSH

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. One of the main hallmarks in cancer is the functional deregulation of crucial molecular pathways via driver genetic events that lead to abnormal gene expression, giving cells a selective growth advantage. Driver events are defined as mutations, fusions and copy number alterations that are causally implicated in oncogenesis. Molecular analysis on tissues that have originated from a wide range of anatomical areas has shown that mutations in different members of several pathways are implicated in different cancer types. In recent decades, significant efforts have been made to incorporate this knowledge into daily medical practice, providing substantial insight towards clinical diagnosis and personalized therapies. However, since there is still a strong need for more effective drug development, a deep understanding of the involved signaling mechanisms and the interconnections between these pathways is highly anticipated. Here, we perform a systemic analysis on cancer patients included in the Pan-Cancer Atlas project, with the aim to select the ten most highly mutated signaling pathways (p53, RTK-RAS, lipids metabolism, PI-3-Kinase/Akt, ubiquitination, b-catenin/Wnt, Notch, cell cycle, homology directed repair (HDR) and splicing) and to provide a detailed description of each pathway, along with the corresponding therapeutic applications currently being developed or applied. The ultimate scope is to review the current knowledge on highly mutated pathways and to address the attractive perspectives arising from ongoing experimental studies for the clinical implementation of personalized medicine.

• Klíčová slova
• NGS, cancer patients, clinical implementation, molecular oncology, mutations, precision medicine, tumor,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Since the discovery of the first MDM2 inhibitors, we have gained deeper insights into the cellular roles of MDM2 and p53. In this review, we focus on MDM2 inhibitors that bind to the p53-binding domain of MDM2 and aim to disrupt the binding of MDM2 to p53. We describe the basic mechanism of action of these MDM2 inhibitors, such as nutlin-3a, summarise the determinants of sensitivity to MDM2 inhibition from p53-dependent and p53-independent points of view and discuss the problems with innate and acquired resistance to MDM2 inhibition. Despite progress in MDM2 inhibitor design and ongoing clinical trials, their broad use in cancer treatment is not fulfilling expectations in heterogenous human cancers. We assess the MDM2 inhibitor types in clinical trials and provide an overview of possible sources of resistance to MDM2 inhibition, underlining the need for patient stratification based on these aspects to gain better clinical responses, including the use of combination therapies for personalised medicine.

• Klíčová slova
• Combination therapy, MDM2, MDM2 inhibitor, Nutlin-3a, Personalised medicine, Resistance, p53,
• MeSH
• bakteriální léková rezistence účinky léků   fyziologie   MeSH
• cílená molekulární terapie metody   MeSH
• klinické zkoušky jako téma MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádorový supresorový protein p53 antagonisté a inhibitory   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• nádory farmakoterapie   MeSH
• protinádorové látky farmakologie   MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny c-mdm2 antagonisté a inhibitory   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• MDM2 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• nádorový supresorový protein p53 MeSH
• protinádorové látky MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny c-mdm2 MeSH
• TP53 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč