Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (Feb 2021)

Cofilin: A Promising Protein Implicated in Cancer Metastasis and Apoptosis

  • Jing Xu,
  • Jing Xu,
  • Yan Huang,
  • Yan Huang,
  • Jimeng Zhao,
  • Jimeng Zhao,
  • Luyi Wu,
  • Qin Qi,
  • Yanan Liu,
  • Yanan Liu,
  • Guona Li,
  • Guona Li,
  • Jing Li,
  • Huirong Liu,
  • Huirong Liu,
  • Huangan Wu,
  • Huangan Wu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.599065
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Cofilin is an actin-binding protein that regulates filament dynamics and depolymerization. The over-expression of cofilin is observed in various cancers, cofilin promotes cancer metastasis by regulating cytoskeletal reorganization, lamellipodium formation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Clinical treatment of cancer regarding cofilin has been explored in aspects of tumor cells apoptosis and cofilin related miRNAs. This review addresses the structure and phosphorylation of cofilin and describes recent findings regarding the function of cofilin in regulating cancer metastasis and apoptosis in tumor cells.

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