The dual role of RNA-binding proteins: promotion of tumorigenesis, drug resistance, and emerging therapeutic targets

• • PCBP2 posttranscriptional modifications drive breast cancer progression via upregulation of UFD1 and NT5E, as demonstrated in Mol Cancer Res 2021;19:86–98. This identifies PCBP2 as a candidate therapeutic target for breast cancer subtypes resistant to standard chemotherapy. • • PABPN1 regulates mRNA alternative polyadenylation to inhibit bladder cancer progression (Cell Biosci 2023;13:45). Loss of PABPN1 function correlates with aggressive bladder cancer phenotypes, suggesting its utility as a prognostic biomarker and potential target for polyadenylation-directed therapy. • • IGF2BP3 promotes acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer through metabolic reprogramming (Cancer Res 2023;83:2187–2207). This establishes IGF2BP3 as a driver of tyrosine kinase inhibitor failure, with direct implications for combination strategies in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. • • LARP1 functions as a post-transcriptional regulator of survival and tumorigenesis in ovarian cancer (Nucleic Acids Res 2016;44:1227–1246). Targeting LARP1-mediated translation may overcome chemoresistance in ovarian cancer, where current platinum-based regimens face high recurrence rates.