Small Molecules Targeting p53 to Improve Antitumor Therapy

G.   L.   Beretta; L.      Gatti; V.      Benedetti; P.      Perego; F.      Zunino

Abstract

Small molecules targeting p53 represent an emerging group of potentially useful agents for the improvement of antitumor therapy. These modulators include agents that activate wild-type p53 or reactivate mutant p53 and inhibitors of p53 functions. Preclinical evidences support the interest of combination strategies with conventional antitumor agents.

Keywords: p53, nutlins, pifithrins, histone deacetylase inhibitors, ubiquitin ligase inhibitors, apoptosis, cancer cells, drug combination