The E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcH5c: an emerging target in cancer and immune disorders

Yuan Zhou; Runzhe Chen; Xiaofang Luo; Wei-Dong Zhang; Jiang-Jiang Qin

doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2020.09.015

The E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcH5c: an emerging target in cancer and immune disorders

Drug Discov Today. 2020 Sep 16:S1359-6446(20)30369-X. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.09.015. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yuan Zhou¹, Runzhe Chen², Xiaofang Luo³, Wei-Dong Zhang⁴, Jiang-Jiang Qin⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
² Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
³ College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Hunan University of Science and Engineering, Yongzhou 425199, China.
⁴ School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. Electronic address: wdzhangy@hotmail.com.
⁵ College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China; Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, China. Electronic address: jqin@zcmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 32947046
DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.09.015

Abstract

Ubiquitination is a crucial post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins and regulates their stabilities and activities, thereby modulating multiple signaling pathways. UbcH5c, a member of the UbcH5 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) protein family, engages in the ubiquitination of dozens of proteins and regulates nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), p53 tumor suppressor, and several other essential signaling pathways. UbcH5c has been reported to be abnormally expressed in human cancer and immune disorders and is involved in the initiation and progression of these diseases. In this review, we mainly focus on UbcH5c structure, activity, signaling pathways, and its relevance to cancer and immune disorders. We end by integrating all known factors relating to UbcH5c inhibition as a potential cancer therapy method, and discuss associated challenges.

Publication types

Review