New PARP targets for cancer therapy

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) modify target proteins post-translationally with poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) or mono(ADP-ribose) (MAR) using NAD(+) as substrate. The best-studied PARPs generate PAR modifications and include PARP1 and the tankyrase PARP5A, both of which are targets for cancer therapy with inhibitors in either clinical trials or preclinical development. There are 15 additional PARPs, most of which modify proteins with MAR, and their biology is less well understood. Recent data identify potentially cancer-relevant functions for these PARPs, which indicates that we need to understand more about these PARPs to effectively target them.