p53 Loss in Breast Cancer Leads to Myc Activation, Increased Cell Plasticity, and Expression of a Mitotic Signature with Prognostic Value.

Loss of p53 function is invariably associated with cancer. Its role in tumor growth was recently linked to its effects on cancer stem cells (CSCs), although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that c-myc is a transcriptional target of p53 in mammary stem cells (MaSCs) and is activated in breast tumors as a consequence of p53 loss.