PABPC1: A Novel Emerging Target for Cancer Prognostics and Anti-cancer Therapeutics

Cancer is a diverse group of diseases predominantly characterized by uncontrolled cellular proliferation. Tumour cells can invade healthy tissues and, in severe cases, metastasize, leading to an overall decline in an individual’s health. Mutations in regulatory genes are often the source of shifts in cellular functions, leading to a cascade of mis-modulations in cellular pathways. Often, it is difficult to thoroughly determine the exact mechanisms which cause cancer. Yet, some cellular markers are more significant than others which can lead research a step closer to the determination of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The human polyadenylate binding protein (PABPC1) is an RNA-binding protein known for its roles in mRNA metabolism, export and translation. In recent studies, many have found that PABPC1 plays an important regulatory role in diverse cancers, including breast, lung, gastric, liver, colorectal, oesophageal, prostate, bladder and brain cancers. In this chapter, we summarized the findings of the most recent studies that reported the roles of human PABPC1 in these cancers to highlight the potential of PABPC1 as a future therapeutic and diagnostic target for cancers.