Poly(rC)-binding proteins as pleiotropic regulators in hematopoiesis and hematological malignancy

Huijuan Zhao; Ziqing Wei; Guomin Shen; Yixiang Chen; Xueqin Hao; Sanqiang Li; Rong Wang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.1045797

Poly(rC)-binding proteins as pleiotropic regulators in hematopoiesis and hematological malignancy

Front Oncol. 2022 Nov 14:12:1045797. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1045797. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Huijuan Zhao^{1

2}, Ziqing Wei³, Guomin Shen^{1

2}, Yixiang Chen^{1

2}, Xueqin Hao², Sanqiang Li², Rong Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Henan International Joint Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
² Basic Medical College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
³ Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Abstract

Poly(rC)-binding proteins (PCBPs), a defined subfamily of RNA binding proteins, are characterized by their high affinity and sequence-specific interaction with poly-cytosine (poly-C). The PCBP family comprises five members, including hnRNP K and PCBP1-4. These proteins share a relatively similar structure motif, with triple hnRNP K homology (KH) domains responsible for recognizing and combining C-rich regions of mRNA and single- and double-stranded DNA. Numerous studies have indicated that PCBPs play a prominent role in hematopoietic cell growth, differentiation, and tumorigenesis at multiple levels of regulation. Herein, we summarized the currently available literature regarding the structural and functional divergence of various PCBP family members. Furthermore, we focused on their roles in normal hematopoiesis, particularly in erythropoiesis. More importantly, we also discussed and highlighted their involvement in carcinogenesis, including leukemia and lymphoma, aiming to clarify the pleiotropic roles and molecular mechanisms in the hematopoietic compartment.

Keywords: alternative splicing; hematological malignancy; hematopoiesis; mRNA stability; poly(rC)-binding proteins.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81770140, 82002210 and 82170606), Central Plains Science and technology innovation leader Project (214200510004), Luoyang City Science and Technology Plan Project (2101028A).