IGF2BP1-An Oncofetal RNA-Binding Protein Fuels Tumor Virus Propagation

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Virology
• Oncology

Background:

• The oncofetal RNA-binding protein IGF2BP1 promotes tumor progression by stabilizing target RNA transcripts.
• IGF2BP1 shields transcripts from microRNA-mediated degradation, a key mechanism in cancer.
• Viruses increasingly exploit IGF2BP1 to enhance their replication and propagation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the multifaceted interactions between IGF2BP1 and various viral species.
• To consolidate current understanding of how viruses leverage IGF2BP1 for their life cycles.
• To analyze public high-throughput datasets for insights into IGF2BP1-virus interplay.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of scientific publications on IGF2BP1 and viral interactions.
• Analysis of publicly available high-throughput datasets (e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Comparative analysis of IGF2BP1's role across different viral infections and cancer types.

Main Results:

• IGF2BP1 is recruited by numerous viruses, including tumor-promoting (Hepatitis B/C, HPV) and non-oncogenic (SARS-CoV-2) types.
• Tumorigenic viruses benefit from IGF2BP1's RNA-stabilizing function for replication.
• HIV-1 is the sole reported virus inhibited by IGF2BP1, suggesting a unique interaction.

Conclusions:

• IGF2BP1 plays a dual role in viral infections, generally promoting replication but inhibiting HIV-1.
• Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing targeted antiviral therapies.
• Further research into IGF2BP1's viral interactions may reveal new therapeutic strategies for viral diseases and cancers.