The role of deubiquitinases in breast cancer

Although growing numbers of oncoproteins and pro-metastatic proteins have been extensively characterized, many of these tumor-promoting proteins are not good drug targets, which represent a major barrier to curing breast cancer and other cancers. There is a need, therefore, for alternative therapeutic approaches to destroying cancer-promoting proteins. The human genome encodes approximately 100 deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs, also called deubiquitinases), which are amenable to pharmacologic inhibition by small molecules. By removing monoubiquitin or polyubiquitin chains from the target protein, DUBs can modulate the degradation, localization, activity, trafficking, and recycling of the substrate, thereby contributing substantially to the regulation of cancer proteins and pathways. Targeting certain DUBs may lead to destabilization or functional inactivation of some key oncoproteins or pro-metastatic proteins, including non-druggable ones, which will provide therapeutic benefits to cancer patients. In breast cancer, growing numbers of DUBs are found to be aberrantly expressed. Depending on their substrates, specific DUBs can either promote or suppress mammary tumors. In this article, we review the role and mechanisms of action of DUBs in breast cancer and discuss the potential of targeting DUBs for cancer treatment.