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Updated: Oct 9, 2025

Two- and Three-Dimensional Live Cell Imaging of DNA Damage Response Proteins
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Dual Role of p73 in Cancer Microenvironment and DNA Damage Response

Julian M Rozenberg1, Svetlana Zvereva1, Alexandra Dalina2

  • 1Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia.

Cells
|December 24, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The p73 protein, a p53 family member, exhibits a dual role in cancer. It can suppress tumors by promoting apoptosis but also drive cancer growth by influencing the tumor microenvironment and immune cell differentiation.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • The p53 tumor suppressor is frequently mutated in human cancers.
  • The p53 family member p73 is often overexpressed in cancers and can perform some p53 functions.
  • p73 isoforms play complex roles in cancer, acting as both a tumor suppressor and an oncoprotein.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the dual role of p73 in cancer progression.
  • To understand how p73 influences the tumor microenvironment and immune cells.
  • To explore p73's impact on epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and angiogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of p73's function in regulating apoptosis.
  • Investigation of p73's role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis.
  • Examination of p73's modulation of tumor microenvironment components including M2 macrophages, Th2 T-cells, and angiogenesis.

Main Results:

  • p73 can repress epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis, suggesting a tumor-suppressive function.
  • p73 can promote tumor growth by influencing crosstalk between cancer and immune cells.
  • p73 is implicated in M2 macrophage polarization, Th2 T-cell differentiation, and angiogenesis, contributing to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.

Conclusions:

  • p73 exhibits a dual role in cancer, acting as a tumor suppressor by inducing apoptosis.
  • p73 can function as an oncoprotein by promoting an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and immune cell differentiation.
  • Targeting p73's distinct functions may offer novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
Keywords:
EMTepithelial-mesenchymal transitionimmuno-oncologyp53p73transcriptiontumour microenvironment

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