Friend and foe, HNRNPC takes on immunostimulatory RNAs in breast cancer cells

EMBO J. 2018 Dec 3;37(23):e100923. doi: 10.15252/embj.2018100923. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Abstract

The RNA‐binding protein HNRNPC is highly expressed in breast cancer, but its contribution to tumorigenesis was unclear. In this issue, Wu et al (2018) demonstrate that elevated HNRNPC is essential for the proliferative ability of two breast cancer cell lines. Reducing HNRNPC results in the accumulation of short Alu‐derived dsRNAs that bind RNA receptor RIG‐I and stimulate the production of IFN, a cytokine with known antiproliferative activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents*
  • Breast Neoplasms*
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group C
  • Humans
  • Interferons
  • RNA, Double-Stranded

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • HNRNPC protein, human
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group C
  • RNA, Double-Stranded
  • Interferons