RNA-binding proteins: Underestimated contributors in tumorigenesis

mRNA export, translation, splicing, cleavage or capping determine mRNA stability, which represents one of the primary aspects regulating gene expression and function. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) bind to their target mRNAs to regulate multiple cell functions by increasing or reducing their stability. In recent decades, studies of the role of RBPs in tumorigenesis have revealed an increasing number of proteins impacting the prognosis, diagnosis and cancer treatment. Several RBPs have been identified based on their interactions with oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in human cancers, which are involved in apoptosis, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), DNA repair, autophagy, cell proliferation, immune response, metabolism, and the regulation of noncoding RNAs. In this review, we propose a model showing how RBP mutations influence tumorigenesis, and we update the current knowledge regarding the molecular mechanism by which RBPs regulate cancer. Special attention is being devoted to RBPs that represent prognostic and diagnostic factors in cancer patients.