Abstract :
[en] In mammal myocytes, endothelial cells, and inner ear cells, ferlins are proteins involved in membrane processes such as fusion, recycling, endo- and exocytosis. They harbour several C2 domains allowing their interaction with phospholipids. Membrane biology is of extreme importance for cell survival and signalling, making Ferlin proteins core machinery indispensable for cancer cell adaptation to hostile environment. Expression of several Ferlin genes was described as altered in several cancer types. Among them myoferlin was recently discovered as highly expressed in several tumoural tissues, and negatively correlated to patient survival. Evidences suggest that myoferlin, when overexpressed, enhances cancer cell proliferation, migration and metabolism by affecting various aspects of membrane biology. Targeting myoferlin using pharmacological compounds, gene transfer technology, or interfering RNA is now considered as an emerging therapeutic strategy.
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