Current insights into the regulation of programmed cell death by TP53 mutation in cancer

Abstract

Gene mutation is a complicated process that influences the onset and progression of cancer, and the most prevalent mutation involves the TP53 gene. One of the ways in which the body maintains homeostasis is programmed cell death, which includes apoptosis, autophagic cell death, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, NETosis, and the more recently identified process of cuprotosis. Evasion of these cell deaths is a hallmark of cancer cells, and our elucidation of the way these cells die helps us better understands the mechanisms by which cancer arises and provides us with more ways to treat it.Studies have shown that programmed cell death requires wild-type p53 protein and that mutations of TP53 can affect these modes of programmed cell death. For example, mutant p53 promotes iron-dependent cell death in ferroptosis and inhibits apoptotic and autophagic cell death. It is clear that TP53 mutations act on more than one pathway to death, and these pathways to death do not operate in isolation. They interact with each other and together determine cell death. This review focuses on the mechanisms via which TP53 mutation affects programmed cell death. Clinical investigations of TP53 mutation and the potential for targeted pharmacological agents that can be used to treat cancer are discussed.