Ubiquitination and Ubiquitin-Like Modifications in Multiple Myeloma: Biology and Therapy

Matthias Wirth1, Markus Schick1, Ulrich Keller1,2,3

  • 1Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203 Berlin, Germany.

Cancers
|December 17, 2020
PubMed

Multiple myeloma is a genetically heterogeneous plasma cell malignancy characterized by organ damage and a massive production of (in-)complete monoclonal antibodies. Coping with protein homeostasis and post-translational regulation is therefore essential for multiple myeloma cells to survive. Furthermore, post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination and SUMOylation play key roles in essential pathways in multiple myeloma, including NFκB signaling, epigenetic regulation, as well as DNA damage repair. Drugs modulating the ubiquitin-proteasome system, such as proteasome inhibitors and thalidomide analogs, are approved and highly effective drugs in multiple myeloma. In this review, we focus on ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifications in the biology and current developments of new treatments for multiple myeloma.

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