p53 Enters the MicroRNA World

Hermeking H.

Molecular Oncology, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152 Martinsried, Germany.

Recently, microRNAs, which are regulated by the transcription factor encoded by the tumor suppressor gene p53, were identified independently by seven groups. Their studies highlight the microRNAs miR-34a and miR-34b/c as direct, conserved p53 target genes that presumably mediate induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and senescence by p53. Since these microRNAs may regulate the levels of hundreds of different proteins, these findings add a new, challenging layer of complexity to the p53 network. The initial evidence suggesting that miR-34 genes are central mediators of p53 function is summarized here.

随着microRNA研究的不断升温，就如当初凋亡研究一样，对其研究已经渗透到生命科学各个研究领域，尤其是与肿瘤的关系，近来几个研究组报道了其与P53的关系，P53通过其直接的保守靶基因miR-34a and miR-34b/c等调节凋亡，细胞周期和衰老等病理和生理过程。似乎为P53调节网路通路开辟了新的和具有挑战性的研究课题。

不知道现在还有多少人在研究细胞凋亡，又有多少人即将研究microRNA，有多少人得益于细胞凋亡的研究，又有多少人会得益于microRNA研究，全世界每年花费无数的资金用于对生命现象和生命病态的研究，就是没研究出个所以然来，不知使奥秘的无穷性，还是人类认识的肤浅性和暂进性，还是人类资源的可浪费性，似乎人类真正看得到受益的日子还在不可预见的遥远的未来！