Researchers from Moscow State University’s Faculty of Fundamental Medicine and Swedish scientists have studied the link between the activity of the p53 protein, tumour metastasis and cell death. They analysed potential approaches to predicting metastasis and selecting treatments, and proposed compounds that may suppress the spread of cancer.
The researchers showed that p53 is involved in regulating metastasis. The protein controls the expression of target genes, influencing numerous cellular processes, including various forms of programmed cell death such as apoptosis (cell disintegration into fragments that are digested by macrophages or other cells), ferroptosis (iron‑dependent lipid peroxidation leading to cell death), necroptosis (cell destruction by a specialised intracellular complex called the necrosome), and autophagy, which plays an important role in the initiation and progression of malignant tumours.
The contribution of p53, its target proteins and autophagy to the regulation of metastasis is tissue‑specific. It depends on the tumour type, molecular context and other factors. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms of metastasis and how they relate to disruptions in cell death pathways. This will allow more accurate prediction of malignant progression and improve the effectiveness of targeted therapies,” said Boris Zhivotovsky, head of the apoptosis mechanisms laboratory at the Faculty of Fundamental Medicine, Moscow State University. He added that the team had analysed several new compounds capable of suppressing metastasis, which are currently at various stages of clinical trials for cancer therapy.
