Natural products that target p53 for cancer therapy

Abstract

Wild-type p53 acts as a tumor suppressor, but p53 is frequently mutated and inactivated in tumor cells, promoting cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis. Thus, compounds that reactivate p53 may be leveraged for cancer treatment, and the development of drugs targeting p53 reactivation is actively progressing. Notably, natural products exhibit diverse structures and biological activities and are used as therapeutic agents for various diseases worldwide. This review discusses the natural products that inhibit p53 degradation through p53–Mdm2 interaction, promote p53 reactivation by inducing conformational changes, and exhibit p53-dependent growth inhibition.