Insights Into the Properties, Biological Functions, and Regulation of USP21

Tao An; Yanting Lu; Xu Yan; Jingjing Hou

doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.944089

Insights Into the Properties, Biological Functions, and Regulation of USP21

Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 30:13:944089. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.944089. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Tao An¹, Yanting Lu², Xu Yan¹, Jingjing Hou³

Affiliations

¹ School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China.
² College of TCM, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
³ Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, School of Medicine, Institute of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.

Abstract

Deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) antagonize ubiquitination by removing ubiquitin from their substrates. The role of DUBs in controlling various physiological and pathological processes has been extensively studied, and some members of DUBs have been identified as potential therapeutic targets in diseases ranging from tumors to neurodegeneration. Ubiquitin-specific protease 21 (USP21) is a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease family, the largest subfamily of DUBs. Although USP21 was discovered late and early research progress was slow, numerous studies in the last decade have gradually revealed the importance of USP21 in a wide variety of biological processes. In particular, the pro-carcinogenic effect of USP21 has been well elucidated in the last 2 years. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on USP21, including its properties, biological functions, pathophysiological roles, and cellular regulation. Limited pharmacological interventions for USP21 have also been introduced, highlighting the importance of developing novel and specific inhibitors targeting USP21.

Keywords: USP21; cancer; deubiquitylation; regulation; signaling pathways; target inhibition.

Publication types

Review