title: New links between S-acylation and cancer.
abstract: S-acylation (also known as palmitoylation) is a major post-translational protein modification in all eukaryotic cells, involving the attachment of fatty acids onto cysteine residues. A variety of structural and signalling proteins are modified in this way, affecting their stability, membrane association and intracellular targeting. The enzymes that mediate S-acylation are encoded by genes belonging to the large (> 20 genes) ZDHHC family. The importance of these enzymes for normal physiological function is highlighted by their links to a diverse range of disease states, including neurological disorders, such as Huntington's disease, schizophrenia and intellectual disability, and diabetes and cancer. The recent study by Yeste-Velasco et al published in the Journal of Pathology highlights a novel tumour suppressor function for the zDHHC family: expression of zDHHC14 is decreased in testicular germ cell tumours, prostate cancer and a variety of other cancer types. This important finding further emphasizes the emerging clinical significance of the zDHHC family of S-acylation enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.forename: Luke H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000235:genetics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000217:Acyltransferases
keywords: DHHC; S-acylation; cancer; palmitoylation; zDHHC