CDKN1A/p21 in breast cancer: part of the problem, or part of the solution?
Author
Manousakis, Evangelos
Martinez Miralles, Clàudia
Guimerà Esquerda, Maria
Wright, Roni H. G.
Publication date
2023ISSN
1422-0067
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (Cip1/Waf1/CDKN1A/p21) is a well-established protein, primarily recognised for its pivotal role in the cell cycle, where it induces cell cycle arrest by inhibiting the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Over the years, extensive research has shed light on various additional mechanisms involving CDKN1A/p21, implicating it in processes such as apoptosis, DNA damage response (DDR), and the regulation of stem cell fate. Interestingly, p21 can function either as an oncogene or as a tumour suppressor in these contexts. Complicating matters further, the expression of CDKN1A/p21 is elevated in certain tumour types while downregulated in others. In this comprehensive review, we provide an overview of the multifaceted functions of CDKN1A/p21, present clinical data pertaining to cancer patients, and delve into potential strategies for targeting CDKN1A/p21 as a therapeutic approach to cancer. Manipulating CDKN1A/p21 shows great promise for therapy given its involvement in multiple cancer hallmarks, such as sustained cell proliferation, the renewal of cancer stem cells (CSCs), epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration, and resistance to chemotherapy. Given the dual role of CDKN1A/p21 in these processes, a more in-depth understanding of its specific mechanisms of action and its regulatory network is imperative to establishing successful therapeutic interventions.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
6 - Applied Sciences. Medicine. Technology
Keywords
P21
CDKN1A
Inhibidor de la cinasa dependent de ciclina 1A
Càncer de pulmó
Cicle cel·lular
Cèl·lules mare cancerígenes
P21
CDKN1A
Inhibidor de quinasa dependiente de ciclina 1A
Cáncer de mama
Ciclo celular
Células madre cancerosas
P21
CDKN1A
Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A
Breast cancer
Cell cycle
Cancer stem cells
Pages
23
Publisher
MDPI
Collection
24;24
Is part of
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Citation
Manousakis, Evangelos; Martinez Miralles, Clàudia; Guimerà Esquerda, Maria [et al.]. CDKN1A/p21 in breast cancer: part of the problem, or part of the solution? International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023, 24(24), 17488. Disponible en: <https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/24/17488>. Fecha de acceso: 15 feb. 2024. DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417488
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Ciències Bàsiques [65]
Rights
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).