B2: Role of the tumor suppressor p73 in inflammation control
The p53 gene family comprises the three transcription factors p53, p63 and p73, which are known as tumor suppressors. p73 knockout mice are characterized by an increased incidence of tumors, infections and signs of chronic inflammation. To better understand the p73 knockout phenotype in molecular terms, we have compared p73-deficient cells to wild-type cells by genome-wide gene expression profiling. Here, the major difference turned out to be a significantly altered expression of inflammatory target genes as well as matrix metalloproteinases. The link between p73 and inflammatory signalling pathways provides an intriguing and potentially unifying explanation for the tumor and inflammation phenotype of the p73 knockout and will be analyzed in this project in molecular detail.
Last Updated on Monday, 15 June 2009 08:06