Research progress on eIF3 a and cancer / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Translation is a fundamental step in regulation of gene expression and abnormalities in this process may lead to cancer. In eukaryotic cells, translation of mRNA is mainly regulated by many eukaryotic initiation factors ( eIFs) . EIF3 plays an impor-tant role in translational regulation, cell growth and oncogenesis. The largest subunit of eIF3, eIF3a may play a role as a regulator of mRNAs. The relationship between eIF3a and oncogenesis has been found. Moreover, the eIF3a mRNA is ubiquitously ex-pressed in different cancer cells and can modulate the cell cycle. However, some studies indicate that eIF3a could provide protec-tion against evolution into higher malignancy and reduce the re-sistance to chemotherapy . The patients of high eIF3a expression could get a better prognosis . In fact, the role of eIF3a is still un-clear in cancer cells. EIF3a may be involved in the process of tumor pathophysiology, but its regulatory role is undulatory.