TP53 and neurodegenerative disease: Research has shown that p53 is upregulated in damaged neurons of DPN rat models and exhibits neurotoxic effects in models of neurodegenerative diseases.[159] Notably, Mfn2 has been identified as a direct downstream target of p53.[115,160] Furthermore, p53 can induce excessive mitochondrial fission mediated by Drp1, leading to severe damage to the mitochondrial genome.