Advances in holliday junction recognition protein (HJURP): Structure, molecular functions, and roles in cancer

Abstract

Oncogenes are increasingly recognized as important factors in the development and progression of cancer. Holliday Junction Recognition Protein (HJURP) is a highly specialized mitogenic protein that is a chaperone protein of histone H3. The HJURP gene is located on chromosome 2q37.1 and is involved in nucleosome composition in the mitotic region, forming a three-dimensional crystal structure with Centromere Protein A (CENP-A) and the histone 4 complex. HJURP is involved in the recruitment and assembly of centromere and kinetochore and plays a key role in stabilizing the chromosome structure of tumor cells, and its dysfunction may contribute to tumorigenesis. In the available studies HJURP is upregulated in a variety of cancer tissues and cancer cell lines and is involved in tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis and immune response. In an in vivo model, overexpression of HJURP in most cancer cell lines promotes cell proliferation and invasiveness, reduces susceptibility to apoptosis, and promotes tumor growth. In addition, upregulation of HJURP was associated with poorer prognosis in a variety of cancers. These properties suggest that HJURP may be a possible target for the treatment of certain cancers. Various studies targeting HJURP as a prognostic and therapeutic target for cancer are gradually attracting interest and attention. This paper reviews the functional and molecular mechanisms of HJURP in a variety of tumor types with the aim of providing new targets for future cancer therapy.

Identification of ASF1A and HJURP by global H3–H4 histone chaperone analysis as a prognostic two-gene model in hepatocellular carcinoma

“…Previously, HJURP was reported to be associated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells, immune checkpoints, and immune suppression in HCC 32 , 33 . Moreover, in this study, we found that a high risk score was positively correlated with immune deficiency, suggesting that immune dysfunction may exist in high-risk patients (Fig.…”

Integrative analysis of senescence-related genes in endothelial cells of Cerebral Ischemic Stroke patients

“…Limited studies have indicated that Okur-Chung Neurodevelopmental Syndrome (OCNDS) is linked to heterozygous mutations in CSNK2A1 43,44 . The Holliday junction recognition protein (HJURP) gene is located on chromosome 2q37.1, and its overexpression is associated with a poor prognosis in various cancer types, including hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer, osteosarcoma, and others [45][46][47] .Currently, no research has reported relationship between overexpression of CSNK2A1, HJURP and CIS development. Therefore, on the basis of our current ndings, MAP2K6, CSNK2A1, HJURP would be novel prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets for stroke patients.…”