p53 regulation of podosome formation and cellular invasion in vascular smooth muscle cells

Abstract

The p53 transcription factor, discovered in 1979,1,2 is well known as a potent suppressor of tumor development by inhibiting cell cycle progression, and promoting senescence or apoptosis, when the genome is compromised or under oncogenic stress.3 Accumulating evidence has pointed to an alternative role of p53 in the curtailment of tumor progression and colonization of secondary sites by negatively regulating tumor cell metastasis.4,5 Recently, we have found that p53 suppresses Src-induced formation of podosomes and associated invasive phenotypes in fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC).6,7 In this review, I will focus on some recent studies that have identified p53 as a suppressor of cell migration and invasion in general, and VSMC podosome formation and ECM degradation in particular. © 2011 Landes Bioscience.