Cofilin: A Promising Protein Implicated in Cancer Metastasis and Apoptosis
Jing Xu, Yan Huang, Jimeng Zhao, Luyi Wu, Qin Qi, Yanan Liu, Guona Li, Jing Li, Huirong Liu, Huangan Wu
Abstract
Cofilin is an actin-binding protein that regulates filament dynamics and depolymerization. The over-expression of cofilin is observed in various cancers, cofilin promotes cancer metastasis by regulating cytoskeletal reorganization, lamellipodium formation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Clinical treatment of cancer regarding cofilin has been explored in aspects of tumor cells apoptosis and cofilin related miRNAs. This review addresses the structure and phosphorylation of cofilin and describes recent findings regarding the function of cofilin in regulating cancer metastasis and apoptosis in tumor cells.
Topics & Concepts
CofilinCell biologyLamellipodiumMetastasisEpithelial–mesenchymal transitionCancer cellActinApoptosismicroRNACytoskeletonBiologyPhosphorylationCancerActin cytoskeletonCancer researchCellBiochemistryGeneticsGeneCellular Mechanics and InteractionsRNA Research and SplicingForce Microscopy Techniques and Applications