A research team led by the Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing (MIA-Portugal) at the University of Coimbra has identified a new variant of the p53 protein, called Delta246p53, which plays a role in controlling cellular ageing and has anti-cancer properties.
In laboratory tests, researchers demonstrated that this variant induces cellular senescence, the process through which cells stop dividing, and inhibits tumour formation in cells. The discovery could help improve understanding of the body's protective mechanisms against the multiplication of damaged cells or those with tumour-forming potential.
According to Marco Candeias, who leads the research group responsible for the study, Delta246p53 acts on several pathways involving proteins essential to controlling cellular senescence, promoting this process and limiting the proliferation of tumour cells or damaged cells.
The new variant is produced from the TP53 gene, known for its role in regulating cell division, repairing DNA and protecting against cancer. Its more specific functions could open up new avenues of research into cellular ageing and cancer.
The study also involved researchers from Kyoto University in Japan, the Portuguese National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge and the University of Trento in Italy. The findings were published in the scientific journal Cell Death Discovery, in an article entitled New Delta246p53 isoform responds to DNA damage to enhance p53 family functions in cellular senescence.
