The Role of Cellular Prion Protein in Cancer Biology: A Potential Therapeutic Target

Manqiu Ding; Yongqiang Chen; Yue Lang; Li Cui

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.742949

The Role of Cellular Prion Protein in Cancer Biology: A Potential Therapeutic Target

Front Oncol. 2021 Sep 14:11:742949. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.742949. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Manqiu Ding¹, Yongqiang Chen², Yue Lang¹, Li Cui¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
² CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, CancerCare Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

Abstract

Prion protein has two isoforms including cellular prion protein (PrP^C) and scrapie prion protein (PrP^Sc). PrP^Sc is the pathological aggregated form of prion protein and it plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases. PrP^C is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein that can attach to a membrane. Its expression begins at embryogenesis and reaches the highest level in adulthood. PrP^C is expressed in the neurons of the nervous system as well as other peripheral organs. Studies in recent years have disclosed the involvement of PrP^C in various aspects of cancer biology. In this review, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the roles of PrP^C in proliferation, cell survival, invasion/metastasis, and stem cells of cancer cells, as well as its role as a potential therapeutic target.

Keywords: cancer; cancer stem cell; cellular prion protein; drug resistance; metastasis; proliferation.

Publication types

Review