Microproteins/micropeptides dysregulation contributes to cancer progression and development: A mechanistic review

Microproteins, known as micropeptides, are small protein molecules encoded by short open reading frames. These recently identified molecules have been proven to be an essential part of the human proteome that participates in multiple processes, such as DNA repair, mitochondrial respiration, and regulating different signaling pathways. A growing body of studies has evidenced that microproteins exhibit dysregulated expression levels in various malignancies and contribute to tumor progression. It has been reported that microproteins interact with many proteins, such as enzymes (e.g., adenosine triphosphate synthase) and signal transducers (e.g., c-Jun), and regulate malignant cell metabolism, proliferation, and metastasis. Moreover, microproteins have been found to play a significant role in multidrug resistance in vitro and in vivo by their activity in DNA repair pathways. Considering that, this review intended to summarize the roles of microproteins in different aspects of tumorigenesis with diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives.