Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026

06:24
Oncogene Expression Analysis with Alterations in pH in a Pancreatic Ductal Cell Line
Published on: April 11, 2025
978
Proliferating cell unclear antigen-associated factor (PAF15): a novel oncogene
Chanlu Xie1, Mu Yao2, Qihan Dong3
1School of Science and Health, The University of Western Sydney, Australia.
The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
|March 18, 2014
Summary
Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-Associated Factor (PAF15) is crucial for DNA repair and cell survival. Its overexpression enhances DNA damage repair and tumor growth, suggesting PAF15 as a cancer therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-Associated Factor (PAF15) is a protein involved in DNA replication and repair.
- PAF15 interacts with PCNA and ubiquitin enzymes, playing a role in DNA polymerase recruitment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of PAF15 in DNA damage response and its implications in cancer.
- To explore PAF15 as a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Studied the interaction of PAF15 with PCNA and its role in DNA repair mechanisms.
- Investigated the effects of PAF15 overexpression and attenuation on DNA replication, cell survival, and DNA damage repair.
- Examined the impact of ectopic PAF15 expression on tumor formation in mouse models.
- Analyzed PAF15 expression levels in human malignancies.
Main Results:
- PAF15 facilitates DNA replicative polymerase recruitment via PCNA ubiquitination.
- PAF15 regulates the switch to translesion synthesis polymerase under DNA damage.
- Overexpression of PAF15 promotes UV-induced DNA damage repair, cell survival, and tumorigenicity.
- Reduced PAF15 levels impair DNA replication and cell survival.
- Elevated PAF15 expression correlates with poor prognosis in human cancers.
Conclusions:
- PAF15 is a key regulator of DNA damage response and cell proliferation.
- Aberrant PAF15 expression contributes to carcinogenesis.
- PAF15 represents a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment.
Related Concept Videos
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
9.1K
Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
9.1K
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
6.1K
6.1K
Abnormal Proliferation
4.0K
Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.0K
The Ras Gene
5.7K
The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a...
Ras is a...
5.7K
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
5.2K
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
5.2K
MAPK Signaling Cascades
7.3K
Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
7.3K

