Chapter 9 - Posttranslational Modifications Associated With Cancer and Their Therapeutic Implications

Abstract

Cancer is characterized by the generation of abnormal cells that divide in an uncontrolled fashion and have the capability to destroy normal healthy cells. The proliferative nature of the cancer cells is believed to be due to the acquisition of various mutations in many important genes most probably because of errors in DNA repair mechanisms. Such uncontrolled cell growth and mistakes in the DNA repair mechanism involve the participation of a large set of proteins and, importantly, posttranslational modification (PTM) of the proteins making many of these proteins gain novel function. Over recent decades a large pool of PTM mechanisms, especially of proteins associated to cancer, has been identified. However, there are few reviews that focus on particular modifications and their involvement in cancer. To date there have been no comprehensive reviews that address all the major types of modifications related to cancer and therefore their role in the therapeutic front, especially on how such modifications could be employed as a target, for cancer therapy have not been assessed. The present chapter provides a comprehensive discussion of almost all of the PTMs associated with some of the major proteins in cancer. Therapeutic insights and future prospects have also been included.