Emerging roles of tRNA in cancer

Daixi Ren; Yongzhen Mo; Mei Yang; Dan Wang; Yumin Wang; Qijia Yan; Can Guo; Wei Xiong; Fuyan Wang; Zhaoyang Zeng

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216170

Emerging roles of tRNA in cancer

Cancer Lett. 2023 Jun 1:563:216170. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216170. Epub 2023 Apr 11.

Authors

Daixi Ren¹, Yongzhen Mo², Mei Yang², Dan Wang², Yumin Wang³, Qijia Yan³, Can Guo², Wei Xiong², Fuyan Wang⁴, Zhaoyang Zeng⁵

Affiliations

¹ NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China. Electronic address: 216506002@csu.edu.cn.
² NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
⁴ NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China. Electronic address: wfy4010@csu.edu.cn.
⁵ NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, China. Electronic address: zengzhaoyang@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37054943
DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216170

Abstract

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) play pivotal roles in the transmission of genetic information, and abnormality of tRNAs directly leads to translation disorders and causes diseases, including cancer. The complex modifications enable tRNA to execute its delicate biological function. Alteration of appropriate modifications may affect the stability of tRNA, impair its ability to carry amino acids, and disrupt the pairing between anticodons and codons. Studies confirmed that dysregulation of tRNA modifications plays an important role in carcinogenesis. Furthermore, when the stability of tRNA is impaired, tRNAs are cleaved into small tRNA fragments (tRFs) by specific RNases. Though tRFs have been found to play vital regulatory roles in tumorigenesis, its formation process is far from clear. Understanding improper tRNA modifications and abnormal formation of tRFs in cancer is conducive to uncovering the role of metabolic process of tRNA under pathological conditions, which may open up new avenues for cancer prevention and treatment.

Keywords: Non-coding RNA; Tumor; tRF; tRNA modification.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amino Acids
Anticodon
Humans
Neoplasms* / genetics
RNA, Transfer* / genetics
RNA, Transfer* / metabolism

Substances

RNA, Transfer
Anticodon
Amino Acids