Alternative pre-mRNA splicing, cell death, and cancer

Kong Ruirui, Payal Ray, Mengxue Yang, Pushuai Wen, Li Zhu*, Jianghong Liu, Kazuo Fushimi, Amar Kar, Ying Liu, Rongqiao He, David Kuo, Jane Wu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Alternative splicing is one of the most powerful mechanisms for generating functionally distinct products from a single genetic loci and for fine-tuning gene activities at the post-transcriptional level. Alternative splicing plays important roles in regulating genes critical for cell death. These cell death genes encode death ligands, cell surface death receptors, intracellular death regulators, signal transduction molecules, and death executor enzymes such as caspases and nucleases. Alternative splicing of these genes often leads to the formation of functionally different products, some of which have antagonistic effects that are either cell death-promoting or cell death-preventing. Differential alternative splicing can affect expression, subcellular distribution, and functional activities of the gene products. Molecular defects in splicing regulation of cell death genes have been associated with cancer development and resistance to treatment. Studies using molecular, biochemical, and systems-based approaches have begun to reveal mechanisms underlying the regulation of alternative splicing of cell death genes. Systematic studies have begun to uncover the multi-level interconnected networks that regulate alternative splicing. A global picture of the complex mechanisms that regulate cell death genes at the pre-mRNA splicing level has thus begun to emerge.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationRNA and Cancer
EditorsJane Y. Wu
Pages181-212
Number of pages32
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 29 2013

Publication series

NameCancer Treatment and Research
ISSN (Print)0927-3042

Keywords

  • Alternative splicing regulation
  • Apoptosis
  • Autophagy
  • Necrosis
  • Programmed cell death
  • Pyroptosis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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