title: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives on HuR and Breast Cancer Development, Prognosis, and Treatment.
abstract: Hu-antigen R (HuR) is an RNA-binding posttranscriptional regulator that belongs to the Hu/ELAV family. HuR expression levels are modulated by a variety of proteins, microRNAs, chemical compounds, or the microenvironment, and in turn, HuR affects mRNA stability and translation of various genes implicated in breast cancer formation, progression, metastasis, and treatment. The aim of the present review is to critically summarize the role of HuR in breast cancer development and its potential as a prognosticator and a therapeutic target. In this aspect, all the existing English literature concerning HuR expression and function in breast cancer cell lines, in vivo animal models, and clinical studies is critically presented and summarized. HuR modulates many genes implicated in biological processes crucial for breast cancer formation, growth, and metastasis, whereas the link between HuR and these processes has been demonstrated directly in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, clinical studies reveal that HuR is associated with more aggressive forms of breast cancer and is a putative prognosticator for patients' survival. All the above indicate HuR as a promising drug target for cancer therapy; nevertheless, additional studies are required to fully understand its potential and determine against which types of breast cancer and at which stage of the disease a therapeutic agent targeting HuR would be more effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom; First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece. Electronic address: i.kotta-loizou13@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ioly
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kotta-Loizou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Spyridon N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Vasilopoulos
authors.affiliation: Geography, Environment and Agriculture Division, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert H A
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Coutts
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Theocharis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000067780:ELAV-Like Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D011485:Protein Binding; D021381:Protein Transport; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000067780:ELAV-Like Protein 1