The roles of deubiquitinating enzymes in cancer therapy

Ubiquitination and deubiquitination play important roles in the regulation of protein stability and function. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are involved in the regulation of survival, migration and proliferation of cancer cells, by participating in a variety of signaling pathways. Most of the DUBs promote the malignant transformation and progression, while the others may function as tumor-suppressors. Given the central roles of DUBs in tumorigenesis and malignant progression, some of these enzymes have been regarded as promising anti-cancer targets. This paper reviews the recent advances in tumor-related DUBs and inhibitors.