The roles and mechanisms of YTH domain-containing proteins in cancer development and progression.

ABSTRACT

Evolutionarily conserved YT521-B homology (YTH) domain-containing proteins, including YTHDF1-3 and YTHDC1-2, are known to confer m6A-dependent RNA-binding activity. The YTH domain-containing proteins participate in numerous RNA processes, such as mRNA splicing, nuclear export, translation and decay in post-transcriptional regulation. Most recently, it has been found that YTH domain-containing proteins play important roles in post-transcriptional modification process hence modulate the expression of genes involved in cancer and other processes including cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, migration and invasion, inflammatory, immunity and autophagy. In this review, we summarize the roles and molecular mechanisms of YTH domain-containing proteins in cancer development and progression. In addition, we discuss the prospect of using YTH domain-containing proteins as a new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancers.