P14: The Absence that Makes the Difference.

P14 is a tumor suppressor encoded by the CDKN2a locus that is frequently inactivated in human tumors. P14 protein quenches oncogene stimuli by inhibiting cell cycle progression and inducing apoptosis. P14 functions can be played through interactions with several proteins. However, the majority of its activities are notoriously mediated by the p53 protein. Interestingly, recent studies suggest a new role of p14 in the maintenance of chromosome stability. Here, we deepened this new facet of p14 which we believe is relevant to its tumor suppressive role in the cell. To this aim, we generated a monoclonal HCT116 cell line expressing the p14 cDNA cloned in the piggyback vector and then induced aneuploidy by treating HCT116 cells with the CENP-E inhibitor GSK923295. P14 ectopic re-expression restored the near-diploid phenotype of HCT116 cells, confirming that p14 counteracts aneuploid cell generation/proliferation.