Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review
Document Type
Review
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) are a vital part of every living organism on earth, as they allow for the correct genes to be expressed while much of the genome is never used. They can fall victim to mutations or manipulations that lead to the deregulation of many genes within a cell. If specific genes are over/under-expressed, a cell may become cancerous and begin replicating into a tumor. It has been demonstrated that common TFs associated with cancer can be targeted using small molecule drugs, and a popular target of these drugs is the DNA binding site on the TF along with the actual DNA sequence that the TF binds to. Disrupting a cancerous TF's ability to associate with DNA will stop it from wreaking havoc on the organism. Most TFs are also regulated by small proteins/molecules called cofactors with their unique binding site on their respective TFs. This spot also presents a potential target for drugs as many TFs cannot function without their cofactors bound. In this review, studies on disrupting TF-DNA interactions and TF-cofactor interactions with hopes of treating cancer will be discussed.
Recommended Citation
Sanders, Tristan D.
(2022)
"Utilizing Pharmacology to Target Transcription Factors Involved with Cancer Onset and Development,"
Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review: Vol. 7, Article 11.
Available at:
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/murr/vol7/iss1/11