Abstract
Simple SummaryRNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play central roles in regulating posttranscriptional expression of genes. Many of them are known to be deregulated in a wide variety of cancers. Dysregulated RBPs influence the expression levels of target RNAs related to cancer phenotypes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, senescence, and EMT/invasion/metastasis. Thus, understanding the molecular functions of RBPs and their roles in cancer-related phenotypes can lead to improved therapeutic strategies.RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) crucially regulate gene expression through post-transcriptional regulation, such as by modulating microRNA (miRNA) processing and the alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, subcellular localization, stability, and translation of RNAs. More than 1500 RBPs have been identified to date, and many of them are known to be deregulated in cancer. Alterations in the expression and localization of RBPs can influence the expression levels of oncogenes, tumor-suppressor genes, and genome stability-related genes. RBP-mediated gene regulation can lead to diverse cancer-related cellular phenotypes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, senescence, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)/invasion/metastasis. This regulation can also be associated with cancer prognosis. Thus, RBPs can be potential targets for the development of therapeutics for the cancer treatment. In this review, we describe the molecular functions of RBPs, their roles in cancer-related cellular phenotypes, and various approaches that may be used to target RBPs for cancer treatment.
Highlights
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play central roles in regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level
CPEB4 is highly expressed in the early stage of melanoma progression; it can control the polyadenylation of the melanoma drivers, MITF
The subcellular localization of an mRNA or lncRNA is an important factor in the regulation of its stability and translation, and cancer-related RBPs often bind to RNAs to coordinate where they are localized and translated [75,76]
Summary
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play central roles in regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. RBPs recruit various factors and enzymes, and form different complexes in diverse combinations to modulate the fates and/or functions of target RNAs [2,3]. Recent studies involving RNA interactome capture and RBP structural analysis have highlighted the nonconventional RBPs, which do not contain any canonical RBD for forming protein-RNA complexes. RBP-mediated regulation contributes to cancer development and pathology [6,7]. Given that RBPs are critical regulators of cancer, they could be promising targets of cancer therapeutics [6,7]. Improving our understanding of the mechanistic, functional, and pathological roles of RBPs in cancers will contribute to providing therapeutic perspectives for cancer therapy. We will discuss various molecular and cellular functions of RBPs in cancer, as well as their clinical implications and potential therapeutic strategies
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