As a hallmark of tumor cells, metabolic alterations play a critical role in 
tumor development and could be targeted for tumor therapy. Tumor suppressor p53 
plays a central role in tumor prevention. As a transcription factor, p53 mainly 
exerts its function in tumor suppression through its transcriptional regulation 
of its target genes to initiate various cellular responses. Cell cycle arrest, 
apoptosis and senescence are most well-understood functions of p53, and are 
traditionally accepted as the major mechanisms for p53 in tumor suppression. 
Recent studies have revealed a novel function of p53 in regulation of cellular 
metabolism. p53 regulates mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, 
glutamine metabolism, lipid metabolism, and antioxidant defense. Through the 
regulation of these metabolic processes, p53 maintains the homeostasis of 
cellular metabolism and redox balance in cells, which contributes significantly 
to the role of p53 as a tumor suppressor. Further understanding of the role and 
molecular mechanism of p53 in cellular metabolism could lead to the 
identification of novel targets and development of novel strategies for tumor 
therapy.