CPSF4 is integral to the 3’ end processing machinery of cellular pre-mRNAs . The process of cleavage and polyadenylation involves two main steps:
These steps are regulated by both cis-regulatory elements within the pre-mRNA and trans-acting CPA machinery and associated proteins .
Recent studies have highlighted the importance of CPSF4 in cancer biology. For instance, CPSF4 has been found to be highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and tumor tissues, while being undetectable in normal human tissues . This overexpression is correlated with poor overall survival in patients with lung adenocarcinomas, making CPSF4 a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target .
The biological role of CPSF4 in cancer involves multiple signaling pathways. Suppression of CPSF4 by siRNA has been shown to inhibit lung cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, and induce apoptosis . These effects are achieved through the modulation of signaling pathways such as PI3K, AKT, ERK1/2, and JNK . Additionally, CPSF4 knockdown induces the cleavage of caspase-3 and caspase-9 proteins, further promoting apoptosis .