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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

A Fluorescence-based Protocol for Preliminary Screening of Protein Synthesis Inhibitors from Natural Sources
Published on: January 27, 2026
Translation Initiation Factors: Reprogramming Protein Synthesis in Cancer
Jennifer Chu1, Marie Cargnello2, Ivan Topisirovic3
1Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract:
Control of mRNA translation plays a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression and is critical for cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of translation initiation factors has been documented in several pathologies including cancer. Aberrant function of translation initiation factors leads to translation reprogramming that promotes proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis. In such context, understanding how altered levels (and presumably activity) of initiation factors can contribute to tumor initiation and/or maintenance is of major interest for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. In this review we provide an overview of translation initiation mechanisms and focus on recent findings describing the role of individual initiation factors and their aberrant activity in cancer.
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