TLDR The protein p53 directly reduces the production of Keratin 17, a skin and hair protein, in rats with radiation dermatitis.
The 2016 study investigated the role of p53, a transcription factor and tumor suppressor, in regulating the expression of Keratin 17 (Krt17), a protein involved in skin and hair structure. Using a rat model of radiation dermatitis, the researchers observed a biphasic response in Krt17 expression: initial down-regulation linked to p53 activation and later up-regulation independent of p53. The study found that p53 directly represses Krt17 transcription by binding to the Krt17 gene promoter. This discovery could potentially be used in managing skin disorders characterized by abnormal Krt17 expression. However, the exact role of Krt17 in radiation dermatitis remained unknown.
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June 2017 in “British Journal of Dermatology” The article concludes that hair loss is a common side effect of drugs treating skin cancer by blocking the hedgehog pathway, but treatment should continue, and more selective drugs might prevent this side effect.
