RNA-Binding Protein TIA-1 Regulates Intestinal Epithelial Cell Apoptosis

Abstract

Introduction: Apoptosis plays an essential role in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial cell renewal and integrity. RNA-binding proteins (RNA-BPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) jointly regulate numerous processes critical for cellular and organismal survival including apoptosis. RNA-binding protein TIA-1 is known to modulate the fate of its target mRNAs by binding to the AU-rich element (ARE) of their 3' untranslated region (UTR), thus resulting in regulation of translational efficiency, alternative pre-mRNA splicing, stress granule aggregation, and programmed cell death.