1020-p53 Preservation Safeguards Chemical Reprogramming

Paper Talk · May 23, 2026 · 24m

This research identifies the tumor suppressor p53 as an indispensable driver of human chemical reprogramming, reversing its known role as a barrier in traditional transcription factor-based methods. While suppressing p53 helps create stem cells using the Yamanaka factors, doing so in chemical reprogramming leads to excessive EMT and prevents cells from reaching a pluripotent state. Small molecules, specifically the RAR agonist TTNPB and TGF-β inhibitors, work synergistically to activate p53 and its anti-metastatic target BTG2 while selectively suppressing cell-cycle inhibitors like p21. This…