p53 regulation of DNA excision repair pathways

The regulation of DNA excision repair pathways by p53 and its downstream genes is an emerging body of literature, largely distinct and separable from the more-studied cell cycle arrest and apoptosis responses regulated by p53. Regulation of nucleotide excision repair of UV-damage by p53 and its downstream genes Gadd45 and p48XPE has been well-documented, but much remains to be done in elucidating mechanisms. Moreover, p53 also participates in base excision repair of hydrogen peroxide-induced damage, still at an early stage of investigation. In human cancers carrying inactivating mutations in p53, especially those wherein p53 mutation occurs early, accelerated mutagenesis by exogenous and endogenous DNA damage is predicted. At the same time, the excision repair pathways could provide a useful target for DNA-damaging chemotherapeutics against p53-defective cancers, having decreased ability to repair chemotherapeutic damage. To our knowledge, this is the first review to address this emerging field.