The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has been felt across various domains, including the realm of cancer research and treatment. As scientists delve deeper into the intricate mechanisms of this viral pathogen, intriguing revelations have emerged regarding its potential influence on cellular processes pivotal to cancer development and progression. In a new study, researchers Wafik S. El-Deiry and Shengliang Zhang from Brown University and Lifespan Health System shed light on the intricate interplay between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the tumor suppressor p53, a key guardian of genomic integrity. On May 3, 2024, they published their new research paper in Oncotarget’s Volume 15, entitled, “Transfected SARS-CoV-2 spike DNA for mammalian cell expression inhibits p53 activation of p21(WAF1), TRAIL Death Receptor DR5 and MDM2 proteins in cancer cells and increases cancer cell viability after chemotherapy exposure.” In this study, researchers El-Deiry and Zhang uncovered a hitherto unknown facet of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein’s impact on cancer cells. Their findings, meticulously detailed in their research paper, have ignited a newfound curiosity within the scientific community. Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2024/05/09/sars-cov-2-spike-protein-disrupts-p53-tumor-suppressor-pathway/ Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28582 Correspondence to - Wafik S. El-Deiry - wafik@brown.edu Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28582 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/ Keywords - cancer, SARS-COV2 spike, p53, MDM2, chemotherapy About Oncotarget Oncotarget (a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal) aims to maximize research impact through insightful peer-review; eliminate borders between specialties by linking different fields of oncology, cancer research and biomedical sciences; and foster application of basic and clinical science. To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh Media Contact MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM 18009220957