Molecular Threat of Splicing Factor Mutations to Myeloid Malignancies and Potential Therapeutic Modulations

Fangliang Zhang1, Liang Chen1

  • 1Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, RNA Institute, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.

Biomedicines
|August 26, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Mutations in splicing factors drive myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Research is exploring new treatments targeting the spliceosome and related pathways for these challenging blood cancers.

Area of Science:

  • Hematology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Splicing factors are frequently mutated in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
  • The precise mechanisms by which these mutations contribute to oncogenesis are not fully elucidated.
  • Current therapeutic options for MDS/AML patients with spliceosome mutations are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding the mechanistic role of splicing factor mutations in disease progression.
  • To summarize emerging therapeutic strategies for MDS and AML with spliceosome mutations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent mechanistic studies.
  • Analysis of ongoing clinical trials for novel therapeutic agents.

Main Results:

  • Splicing factor mutations are implicated in the pathogenesis of MDS and AML.
  • Targeting strategies include small molecule inhibitors of the spliceosome, DNA damage response, and immune pathways.
  • Clinical trials are evaluating the efficacy of these novel approaches.

Conclusions:

  • A deeper mechanistic understanding of splicing factor mutations is crucial for developing effective therapies.
  • Targeted therapies hold promise for improving clinical outcomes in patients with MDS/AML and spliceosome mutations.

Related Concept Videos

RNA Splicing01:32

RNA Splicing

Splicing is the process by which eukaryotic RNA is edited before its translation into protein. The RNA strand transcribed from eukaryotic DNA is called the primary transcript. The primary transcripts that become mRNAs are called precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs). Eukaryotic pre-mRNA contains alternating sequences of exons and introns. Exons are nucleotide sequences that code for proteins, whereas introns are the non-coding regions. In RNA splicing, introns are removed and exons are bonded...
56.7K
Alternative RNA Splicing02:18

Alternative RNA Splicing

Alternative RNA splicing is the regulated splicing of exons and introns to produce different mature mRNAs from a single pre-mRNA. Unlike in constitutive splicing where a single gene produces a single type of mRNA, alternative splicing allows an organism to produce multiple proteins from a single gene and plays an important role in protein diversity.
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...
21.6K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.8K
Mismatch Repair01:20

Mismatch Repair

Organisms are capable of detecting and fixing nucleotide mismatches that occur during DNA replication. This sophisticated process requires identifying the new strand and replacing the erroneous bases with correct nucleotides. Mismatch repair is coordinated by many proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
The Mutator Protein Family Plays a Key Role in DNA Mismatch Repair
The human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA per cell. Prior to cell division, that vast amount of genetic...
5.1K
Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing02:41

Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing

In eukaryotic cells, nascent mRNA transcripts need to undergo many post-transcriptional modifications to reach the cell cytoplasm and translate into functional proteins. For a long time, transcription and pre-mRNA processing were considered two independent events that occur sequentially in the cell. However, it has now been well established that transcription and pre-mRNA processing are two simultaneous processes that are precisely regulated inside the cell.
The chromatin structure, especially...
7.1K
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells01:06

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic...
4.3K