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Stem cell biology

Targeting RNA-binding proteins in acute and chronic leukemia

Leukemia volume 35, pages 360–376 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play a crucial role in cellular physiology by regulating RNA processing, translation, and turnover. In neoplasms, RBP support of cancer-relevant expression of alternatively spliced, modified, and stabilized mRNA transcripts is essential to self-renewal, proliferation, and adaptation to stress. In this review, we assess the impact of key families of RBPs in leukemogenesis, review progress in targeting those proteins with small molecules, and discuss how multilevel composition of posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression could be used for potential therapies in acute and chronic leukemia.

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Fig. 1: RNA-binding proteins involved in leukemogenesis.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by the NIH NCI grants CA191550 and CA243167 (V.S.S.). The authors would like to thank Alexander Elchev and Rachael Mills for editorial help with the manuscript.

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  1. Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

    Irina A. Elcheva & Vladimir S. Spiegelman

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Elcheva, I.A., Spiegelman, V.S. Targeting RNA-binding proteins in acute and chronic leukemia. Leukemia 35, 360–376 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41375-020-01066-4

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