Author:

Keywords:

p53, MDM2, tumor reversion, stem cells, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Cell Biology, CONTROLLED TUMOR PROTEIN, HISTAMINE-RELEASING FACTOR, TRANSLATIONAL CONTROL, NUCLEOTIDE EXCHANGE, EXOSOME SECRETION, P53, GROWTH, MOUSE, IDENTIFICATION, APOPTOSIS, Biomarkers, Tumor, Genetic Pleiotropy, Humans, Neoplastic Stem Cells, RNA, Messenger, Ribonucleoproteins, Tumor Protein, Translationally-Controlled 1, Tumor Suppressor Protein p53, eIF-2 Kinase, 06 Biological Sciences, 11 Medical and Health Sciences, Developmental Biology, 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology

Abstract:

Evolutionary conserved and pleiotropic, the TPT1/TCTP gene (translationally controlled tumor protein, also called HRF, fortilin), encodes a highly structured mRNA shielded by ribonucleoproteins and closely resembling viral particles. This mRNA activates, as do viruses, protein kinase R (PKR). The TPT1/TCTP protein is structurally similar to mRNA-helicases and MSS4. TPT1/TCTP has recently been identified as a prognostic factor in breast cancer and a critical regulator of the tumor suppressor p53 and of the cancer stem cell (SC) compartment. Emerging evidence indicates that TPT1/TCTP is key to phenotypic reprogramming, as shown in the process of tumor reversion and possibly in pluripotency. We provide here an overview of these diverse functions of TPT1/TCTP.