AKTIVIERUNG VON P53 PROTEIN

PCT No. PCT/GB93/02438 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 24, 1995 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 24, 1995 PCT Filed Nov. 26, 1993 PCT Pub. No. WO94/12202 PCT Pub. Date Jun. 9, 1994A class of mutant forms of p53 protein, such as His273 and Lys285, which are defective in conversion from the latent to the activated state by casein kinase II, but with the ability to be activated for specific DNA binding by the action of ligands such as monoclonal antibody PAb421 and heat shock protein DnaK. Activation of these mutants, which are found at high levels in certain types of tumour, can potentially lead to selective growth arrest and induction of apoptosis in the tumor cells. p53 can be constitutively activated also by deletion of the C-terminal 30 amino acids. p53 activated in this way, or by ligand binding, can be administered for the purposes of tumour or cell growth suppression.