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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells
10:06

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells

Published on: April 26, 2017

[Pre-mRNA alternative splicing in cancer: functional impact, molecular mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives]

Timothée Revil1, Lulzim Shkreta, Benoît Chabot

  • 1Groupe ARN, Département de microbiologie et d'infectiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada J1H 5N4.

Bulletin Du Cancer
|September 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Alternative splicing, a key process for gene expression, is often altered in cancer, leading to disease progression. Understanding and targeting these splicing changes offers new cancer treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cancer Research

Context:

  • Pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) splicing is crucial for producing functional messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from most human genes.
  • Alternative splicing generates diverse mRNA isoforms, impacting cellular functions.
  • Aberrant alternative splicing in cancer cells contributes to proliferation, migration, and apoptosis resistance.

Purpose:

  • To highlight the role of alternative splicing in cancer development.
  • To discuss the challenges in understanding splicing's functional diversity in cancer.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting alternative splicing.

Summary:

  • Alternative splicing dysregulation in cancer produces isoforms that promote tumor growth and survival.
  • While mutations are known causes, altered protein expression affecting splice site selection is also implicated.
  • Research is ongoing to document splicing's functional diversity and its link to various cancers.

Impact:

  • Advances in understanding alternative splicing in cancer can identify novel therapeutic targets.
  • Developing strategies to reprogram aberrant splicing holds promise for innovative cancer treatments.
  • This research contributes to the broader field of cancer genomics and personalized medicine.

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