Figure 21
From: Basal cell carcinoma: biology, morphology and clinical implications
UV light-induced damage causes conversion from wild-type to mutant p53. Wild-type p53 causes cell cycle arrest through the p21/retinoblastoma gene product pathway in order to enable the repair of DNA in cells subjected to sublethal genotoxic injury. It also promotes apoptosis of irreparably damaged cells through the bcl2/bax system. Mutant p53, in contrast, does not effect cell cycle arrest. In consequence, DNA repair does not take place and cells are not driven down the apoptotic pathway, enabling them to then replicate and to acquire further genomic instabilities leading to an enhanced malignant potential.
