TP53 and brain ischemia: 181 Activation of p53 is also involved in apoptotic cell death in cerebral ischemia and in vivo administration of p53 inhibitor pifithrin-α induced neuroprotection in rats subjected to focal ischemia.182, –184 Taken together, it could be hypothesized that ischemic stress-induced α-Syn accumulation contributes, at least in part, to the increased p53 levels via suppressing DJ-1 solubility.