TP53 mutation at codon 179 metabolically reprograms cancer cells to promote invasion

Mutations in the tumour suppressor, TP53, are prevalent in human cancers yet their functional implications remain unclear. Through comprehensive pan-cancer database analysis, we identified H179 mutations in TP53 as significantly associated with poor disease-free survival across multiple cancer types. Functional studies in lung, ovarian, and prostate cancer cells over-expressing the p53^H179R/Y mutants revealed that these mutants are not only defective in tumour-suppressive functions but also actively promote tumour progression. These mutants drive metabolic reprogramming by increasing neutral lipid levels through de novo fatty acid synthesis (p53^H179R/Y) and fatty acid uptake (p53^H179Y), accompanied by increased lipid droplets and APOE expression, collectively promoting enhanced invasiveness relative to p53-null cells. Our findings demonstrate that TP53 missense mutations are not functionally equivalent to TP53 loss. Notably, H179 mutations act as oncogenic drivers, and our data highlight APOE and lipid metabolism as potential therapeutic targets, underscoring the clinical relevance of precise TP53 mutation characterisation.