The role of myotubularin-related lipid phosphatases in cancer pathogenesis

Abstract

Myotubularin-related proteins (MTMRs) comprise a family of lipid phosphatases using phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate as their substrate. Several members have a well-established role in the pathogenesis of human myopathies and neuropathies. There is a growing body of evi-dence that the portfolio of diseases where MTMRs play a role should be extended to cancer. MTMRs are thusclosing the gap on their functional counterparts, the phosphatidylinositol kinases. MTMRs do not contribute tocancer initiation through driver mutations, but their expression in tumours is frequently altered, leading todefects in cell proliferation, migration or cell death. In some instances, MTMR misexpression contributes toresistance to cancer treatment. In this review we summarize the current knowledge with the emphasis on themolecular mechanisms underlying the MTMR function in cancer pathogenesis.