FBW7 in hematological tumors

F-box and WD repeat domain-containing protein 7 (FBW7), also known as FBXW7, AGO or hCDC4, is an F-box protein with seven tandem WD40 repeats. FBW7 is a key substrate recognition subunit of the Skp1-Cul1-F-box-protein E3 ubiquitin ligase. FBW7 targets for ubiquitination and destruction of numerous crucial transcription factors and protooncogenes, including cyclin E, c-Myc, c-Jun, Notch and MCL-1. FBW7 is a well-characterized tumor suppressor, and its gene is frequently mutated or deleted in various types of human cancer, including colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, ovarian cancer and different types of leukemia. Accumulating evidence indicates that the aberrant expression of FBW7 is involved in the development of hematological tumors, including T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma. The present review will describe the latest findings on the role of FBW7 in hematological tumors, in order to identify a novel target for future therapies.