What is HuR protein?

HuR is one of the well-characterized RBPs; it primarily stabilizes mRNAs and is also known as RNA stabilizing protein (RSP). HuR was first described in Drosophila as being in the embryonic lethal abnormal vision (ELAV) family of Hu proteins, which comprise the human antigen R (HuR or HuA), HuB, HuC and HuD [1].

What is HuR in biology?

Hu-antigen R (HuR) is a posttranscriptional regulator of several target mRNAs, implicated in carcinogenesis. This review aims to present the current evidence regarding the biological role and potential clinical significance of HuR in head and neck carcinomas.

What is the HuR gene?

ELAV-like protein 1 or HuR (human antigen R) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ELAVL1 gene. This encoded protein contains 3 RNA-binding domains and binds cis-acting AU-rich elements. One of its best-known functions is to stabilize mRNAs in order to regulate gene expression.

What is human antigen R?

Human antigen R (HuR; encoded by the Elavl1 gene) is an RNA binding protein that binds to AU-rich regions in the 3′-untranslated region of many different mRNAs, including many involved in inflammation, cell growth, and fibrosis, and it directly regulates the expression of target mRNA through modulation of its stability …

Are au elements rich?

The AU-rich element (ARE) is one of the major cis-regulatory elements in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of labile mRNAs. To regulate mRNA metabolism, ARE-BPs bind target mRNAs and affect some factors on mRNAs directly, or recruit effectors, such as mRNA decay machinery and protein kinases to target mRNAs.

Why is RNA binding protein important?

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have important functions in the regulation of gene expression. RBPs play key roles in post-transcriptional processes in all eukaryotes, such as splicing regulation, mRNA transport and modulation of mRNA translation and decay.

What is the function of AU rich elements?

Adenylate/uridylate–rich elements (AU-rich elements; AREs) are regulatory cis-acting elements within untranslated regions (UTRs) of short-lived mRNAs which function as a signal for rapid degradation.

Are elements pure substances?

An element is a pure substance and is made of only one type of atom; it cannot be broken down into a simpler substance.

Is SMN an RNA binding protein?

SMN is an RNA binding protein, ubiquitously expressed and performs multiple essential cellular functions, especially in RNA processing.

What is the function of Hur?

HuR confines the pro-inflammatory cytokine production in myeloid cells and protects the mice from colorectal carcinogenesis 21. HuR plays a neuroprotective role in the brain and regulates small intestinal epithelial homeostasis and proliferation 22, 23.

How can we determine the function of the Hur gene in vivo?

To determine the function of HuR in vivo, we generated mice with a fat-specific deletion of the HuR gene by crossing HuRflox/flox and Adipoq -Cre mice, referred to as HuR-FKO mice.

What does Hur do in the brain?

HuR plays a neuroprotective role in the brain and regulates small intestinal epithelial homeostasis and proliferation 22, 23. The depletion of HuR results in an inhibition of C/EBPβ protein expression and an attenuation of the 3T3-L1 cells differentiation process 24, 25.

What happens when Hur is depleted?

The depletion of HuR results in an inhibition of C/EBPβ protein expression and an attenuation of the 3T3-L1 cells differentiation process 24, 25. Despite several decades of study on HuR, our knowledge about its functions and mechanisms is still limited to a small number of cell types.