Physical Exercise and Gene p53—A Mini Review

Abstract

Cancer is a global problem that in addition to physical, emotional and physiological causes economic and social impacts. The p53 gene is a tumor suppressor gene found in many malignant and benign tumors; this has the primary function of keeping cells at rest after damaging to DNA. The p53 acts in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis, mainly through autophagy, playing a role in cell cycle arrest, when necessary, thus avoiding mutated DNA replication. When in the oncogenic environment in many cases it is mutated, losing much of its efficiency allowing tumor development. Studies show that exercise can in the regular part of its pro-autophagic function even in the oncology setting. Stimuli of moderate-intensity aerobic and predominance of submaximal seem to trigger the protective function of p53 in various cancer settings. Among the many changes that these pathology triggers were the objective of this mini review is to relate the changes that exercise generates in p53 protein functions and their possible influence on tumor cells.