Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Disease Model: A Platform to Develop Precision Cancer Therapy Targeting Oncogenic p53

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2017 Oct;38(10):908-927. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2017.07.004. Epub 2017 Aug 14.

Abstract

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare hereditary autosomal dominant cancer disorder. Germline mutations in TP53, the gene encoding p53, are responsible for most cases of LFS. TP53 is also the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers. Because inhibition of mutant p53 is considered to be a promising therapeutic strategy to treat these diseases, LFS provides a perfect genetic model to study p53 mutation-associated malignancies as well as to screen potential compounds targeting oncogenic p53. In this review we briefly summarize the biology of LFS and current understanding of the oncogenic functions of mutant p53 in cancer development. We discuss the strengths and limitations of current LFS disease models, and touch on existing compounds targeting oncogenic p53 and in vitro clinical trials to develop new ones. Finally, we discuss how recently developed methodologies can be integrated into the LFS induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) platform to develop precision cancer therapy.

Keywords: Li–Fraumeni Syndrome; disease model; drug screening and development; in vitro clinical trial; mutant p53 gain of function; pluripotent stem cells.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Genes, p53*
  • Germ-Line Mutation
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / pathology
  • Li-Fraumeni Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Li-Fraumeni Syndrome / genetics*
  • Li-Fraumeni Syndrome / pathology
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Precision Medicine