Outcompeting p53-Mutant Cells in the Normal Esophagus by Redox Manipulation (Cell Stem Cell)

Normal human esophagus contains p53 mutant progenitors. Fernandez-Antoran and colleagues show that p53 mutant progenitors outcompete their wild-type neighbors after low-dose ionizing radiation. This effect is reversed by antioxidant pretreatment. p53 mutant cells can be displaced from normal tissues via the improvement of the competitive fitness of wild-type progenitors.