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Oyejobi GK, Yan X, Sliz P, Wang L. Regulating Protein-RNA Interactions: Advances in Targeting the LIN28/Let-7 Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3585. [PMID: 38612395 PMCID: PMC11011352 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Originally discovered in C. elegans, LIN28 is an evolutionarily conserved zinc finger RNA-binding protein (RBP) that post-transcriptionally regulates genes involved in developmental timing, stem cell programming, and oncogenesis. LIN28 acts via two distinct mechanisms. It blocks the biogenesis of the lethal-7 (let-7) microRNA (miRNA) family, and also directly binds messenger RNA (mRNA) targets, such as IGF-2 mRNA, and alters downstream splicing and translation events. This review focuses on the molecular mechanism of LIN28 repression of let-7 and current strategies to overcome this blockade for the purpose of cancer therapy. We highlight the value of the LIN28/let-7 pathway as a drug target, as multiple oncogenic proteins that the pathway regulates are considered undruggable due to their inaccessible cellular location and lack of cavities for small molecule binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greater Kayode Oyejobi
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.K.O.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xiaodan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.K.O.); (X.Y.)
| | - Piotr Sliz
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Longfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.K.O.); (X.Y.)
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Shi M, Niu J, Niu X, Guo H, Bai Y, Shi J, Li W, Sun K, Chen Y, Shao F. Lin28A/CENPE Promoting the Proliferation and Chemoresistance of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Oncol 2021; 11:763232. [PMID: 34868981 PMCID: PMC8632764 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.763232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The prognosis of chemoresistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still poor, mainly owing to the sustained proliferation ability of leukemic cells, while the microtubules have a major role in sustaining the continuity of cell cycle. In the present study, we have identified CENPE, a microtubular kinesin-like motor protein that is highly expressed in the peripheral blood of patients with chemoresistant AML. In our in vitro studies, knockdown of CENPE expression resulted in the suppression of proliferation of myeloid leukemia cells and reversal of cytarabine (Ara-C) chemoresistance. Furthermore, Lin28A, one of the RNA-binding oncogene proteins that increase cell proliferation and invasion and contribute to unfavorable treatment responses in certain malignancies, was found to be remarkably correlated with CENPE expression in chemoresistance AML. Overexpression of LIN28A promoted the proliferation and Ara-C chemoresistance of leukemic cells. RIP assay, RNA pull-down, and dual luciferase reporter analyses indicated that LIN28A bound specifically to the promoter region GGAGA of CENPE. In addition, the impacts of LIN28A on cell growth, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and Ara-C chemoresistance were reverted by the knockdown of CENPE. Hence, Lin28A/CENPE has enhanced the proliferation and chemoresistance of AML, and therefore, it could be a prospective candidate for AML treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Shi
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junwei Niu
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaona Niu
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Honggang Guo
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanliang Bai
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jie Shi
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Weiya Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Kai Sun
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuqing Chen
- Department of Hematology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fengmin Shao
- Department of Nephrology, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Immunology, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital and Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
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