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Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Protein Extract Preparation and Co-immunoprecipitation from Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: May 23, 2020
Argonaute Proteins Take Center Stage in Cancers
Iwona Nowak1,2, Aishe A Sarshad1,2
1Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Abstract:
Argonaute proteins (AGOs) play crucial roles in RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) formation and activity. AGOs loaded with small RNA molecules (miRNA or siRNA) either catalyze endoribonucleolytic cleavage of target RNAs or recruit factors responsible for translational silencing and target destabilization. miRNAs are well characterized and broadly studied in tumorigenesis; nevertheless, the functions of the AGOs in cancers have lagged behind. Here, we discuss the current state of knowledge on the role of AGOs in tumorigenesis, highlighting canonical and non-canonical functions of AGOs in cancer cells, as well as the biomarker potential of AGO expression in different of tumor types. Furthermore, we point to the possible application of the AGOs in development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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