Targeting Jab1/CSN5 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an Epstein-Barr virus-associated head and neck cancer that is most common in eastern Asia. Epstein-Barr virus infection, environmental factors, and genetic susceptibility play important roles in NPC pathogenesis. Jab1/CSN5 is a multifunctional protein that participates in affecting integrin signaling, controlling cell proliferation and apoptosis, and regulating genomic instability and DNA repair. Correlation of Jab1/CSN5 overexpression with poor prognosis for NPC provides evidence that it is involved in the tumorigenic process. In this review, we highlight recent advances in studies of the oncogenic role of Jab1/CSN5 in NPC and its potential as a therapeutic target for this cancer.