 In the Li-Fraumeni familial cancer syndrome LFS, affected individuals harbor a germline mutation in TP53, hence they are heterozygous with reduced wild-type p53 activity. We hypothesize that the heterozygous individuals will display alterations in aerobic capacity and metabolism that previously has been unappreciated. This IRB proposal translates our experimental observation to human subjects in collaboration with extramural groups studying this rare familial syndrome. The results may not only help clarify why mutations of p53 gene are so common in cancers by potentially conferring metabolic advantages in tumorigenesis, but they may also give us an opportunity to understand a fundamental regulatory mechanism in cellular energy generation relevant to other processes. 