Significance of the Y-box proteins in human cancers

Abstract

Y-box proteins belong to the cold shock domain family of proteins that are known to be involved in both transcriptional and translational control. Here, we give a brief overview of the structure, regulation and physiological functions of the Y-box proteins. This is followed by examining the role of Y-box protein 1 (YB-1), the most extensively studied of the Y-box protein in tumorigenesis, and its clinicopathological significance. YB-1 has the potential to be a prognostic marker and predictor of chemoresistance in human cancers.