Cancer Resilient Elephants
The tumor suppressor Tp53 is the most mutated gene in cancers. Germ-line variations in Tp53 lead to cancer predisposition, as noted in the Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) carriers. Currently, no options are available to delay or prevent cancer development in this population. Conversely, animals such as elephants, are relatively resistant to cancer development. Elephants carry multiple copies of p53, indicating that controlled over-expression of p53 might be nature’s strategy against cancer predisposition.
Inspired by nature, the work of researchers at the National Cancer Centre Singapore is based on the hypothesis that controlling wild-type (normal) Tp53 levels could serve as a prophylactic approach to mitigate cancer risk. By introducing a third copy of Trp53 researchers demonstrated that tumor development is delayed, and mice live longer without observable side effects in LFS models. The findings provide genetic evidence that could benefit LFS carriers and other cancer-prone populations with reduced p53 capabilities.
Read more on the exciting research out of The Sabapathy Lab published in Nature’s Cell Death and Differentiation (2025).
