The emerging nature of Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7): a new target in cancer therapy

Lauraine Nininahazwe1, Bingrui Liu2, Chenghua He3

  • 1Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Henan Province for New Drug R & D and Preclinical Safety, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China.

Drug Discovery Today
|November 6, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Human ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) deubiquitinates proteins, impacting cancer. This review covers recent USP7 research, its role in cancers, and the development of USP7 inhibitors for drug discovery.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Human ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) is a deubiquitinating enzyme crucial for protein regulation.
  • USP7 activity is implicated in various cellular processes and diseases, notably cancer.
  • Dysregulation of USP7 contributes to tumorigenesis and disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding USP7 function over the past five years.
  • To focus on the specific role of USP7 in various cancer types.
  • To discuss clinical studies, pharmacological investigations, and the development of USP7 inhibitors.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent scientific publications (last 5 years).
  • Analysis of studies focusing on USP7's role in cancer biology.
  • Examination of clinical, in vivo, and pharmacological data related to USP7.

Main Results:

  • USP7 plays a significant role in regulating proteins involved in cancer development.
  • Recent studies have elucidated USP7's specific mechanisms in different cancer types.
  • Development of USP7 inhibitors shows promise for therapeutic interventions.

Conclusions:

  • A deeper understanding of USP7 is essential for comprehending USP7-mediated signaling pathways.
  • Targeting USP7 offers a potential therapeutic strategy for various cancers.
  • Further research into USP7 structure and function will drive drug discovery efforts.

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