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Lipogenic enzyme FASN promotes mutant p53 accumulation and gain-of-function through palmitoylation

Author

Listed:
  • Juan Liu

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Yiyun Shen

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Jie Liu

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Dandan Xu

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Chun-Yuan Chang

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Jianming Wang

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Jason Zhou

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Bruce G. Haffty

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Lanjing Zhang

    (Princeton Medical Center
    Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Jill Bargonetti

    (City University of New York)

  • Subhajyoti De

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Wenwei Hu

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

  • Zhaohui Feng

    (Rutgers-State University of New Jersey)

Abstract

The tumor-suppressive function of p53 is frequently disrupted by mutations in cancers. Missense mutant p53 (mutp53) protein often stabilizes and accumulates to high levels in cancers to promote tumorigenesis through the gain-of-function (GOF) mechanism. Currently, the mechanism of mutp53 accumulation and GOF is incompletely understood. Here, we identify the lipogenic enzyme FASN as an important regulator of mutp53 accumulation and GOF. FASN interacts with mutp53 to enhance mutp53 palmitoylation, which inhibits mutp53 ubiquitination to promote mutp53 accumulation and GOF. Blocking FASN genetically or by small-molecule inhibitors suppresses mutp53 palmitoylation to inhibit mutp53 accumulation, which in turn inhibits the growth of mutp53 tumors in orthotopic and subcutaneous xenograft tumor models and transgenic mice, as well as the growth of human tumor organoids carrying mutp53. Our results reveal that mutp53 palmitoylation is an important mechanism underlying mutp53 accumulation and GOF, and targeting FASN is a potential therapeutic strategy for cancers carrying mutp53.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Liu & Yiyun Shen & Jie Liu & Dandan Xu & Chun-Yuan Chang & Jianming Wang & Jason Zhou & Bruce G. Haffty & Lanjing Zhang & Jill Bargonetti & Subhajyoti De & Wenwei Hu & Zhaohui Feng, 2025. "Lipogenic enzyme FASN promotes mutant p53 accumulation and gain-of-function through palmitoylation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57099-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57099-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cen Zhang & Juan Liu & Yingjian Liang & Rui Wu & Yuhan Zhao & Xuehui Hong & Meihua Lin & Haiyang Yu & Lianxin Liu & Arnold J. Levine & Wenwei Hu & Zhaohui Feng, 2013. "Tumour-associated mutant p53 drives the Warburg effect," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Ori Hassin & Nishanth Belugali Nataraj & Michal Shreberk-Shaked & Yael Aylon & Rona Yaeger & Giulia Fontemaggi & Saptaparna Mukherjee & Martino Maddalena & Adi Avioz & Ortal Iancu & Giuseppe Mallel & , 2022. "Different hotspot p53 mutants exert distinct phenotypes and predict outcome of colorectal cancer patients," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Mingming Zhang & Lixing Zhou & Yuejie Xu & Min Yang & Yilai Xu & Garrison Paul Komaniecki & Tatsiana Kosciuk & Xiao Chen & Xuan Lu & Xiaoping Zou & Maurine E. Linder & Hening Lin, 2020. "A STAT3 palmitoylation cycle promotes TH17 differentiation and colitis," Nature, Nature, vol. 586(7829), pages 434-439, October.
    4. E. M. Alexandrova & A. R. Yallowitz & D. Li & S. Xu & R. Schulz & D. A. Proia & G. Lozano & M. Dobbelstein & U. M. Moll, 2015. "Improving survival by exploiting tumour dependence on stabilized mutant p53 for treatment," Nature, Nature, vol. 523(7560), pages 352-356, July.
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