Splicing in Cancer

Abstract

Defects in splicing, especially alternative splicing have been frequently found in cancers. Mutations in the splicing regulatory elements of important genes involved in cancers or the genes encoding regulatory splicing machinery could play a key role in carcinogenesis. Alterations in regulator factors in splicing have emerged as a new class of oncoproteins and tumor suppressor genes. Understanding the molecular mechanism of how defects in splicing and in particular alternative splicing are involved in carcinogenesis, could lead to new strategies to cancer therapy. Here, we review the molecular mechanism of splicing and regulatory factors involved in alternative splicing, as well as the aberrant splicing that affects cancer hallmarks. Finally, we summarize new approaches in cancer therapy based on splicing.