TATA-binding protein-like protein (TLP) is involved in development, checkpoint, and apoptosis through potentiation of gene expression. TLP-overexpressing human cells, especially p53-containing cells, exhibited a decreased growth rate and increased proportion of G(1) phase cells. TLP stimulated expression of several growth-related genes including p21 (p21(Waf1/Cip1)). TLP-mediated activation of the p21 upstream promoter in cells was shown by a promoter-luciferase reporter assay. The p53-binding sequence located in the p21 upstream promoter and p53 itself are required for TLP-mediated transcriptional activation. TLP and p53 bound to each other and synergistically enhanced activity of the upstream promoter. TLP specifically activated transcription from the endogenous upstream promoter, and p53 was required for this activation. Etoposide treatment also resulted in activation of the upstream promoter as well as nuclear accumulation of TLP and p53. Moreover, the upstream promoter was associated with endogenous p53 and TLP, and the p53 recruitment was enhanced by TLP. The results of the present study suggest that TLP mediates p53-governed transcriptional activation of the p21 upstream promoter.