Ribonucleases in tumor growth

Abstract

This review summarizes data on ambiguous biological functions of ribonucleases (RNases) at tumor growth. In some cases the raised level of enzyme activity in biological fluids can be regarded as an additional marker of malignant growth (pancreas cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia, etc.). At the same time the activity of RNases is often lowered in tumor tissue. High substrate specificity of particular RNases provides metabolic balance between various kinds of RNAs with various half-time exchange turn. RNases are the important factors of epigenetic regulation of gene activity in cells. The activity of RNases is adjustable by inhibitors and other factors, and defines time of existence of different kinds of RNAs. RNases (the modified variants of RNase A, RNases of semen fluid of the cattle, RNase of amphibia oocytes) can be used as anti-tumor therapeutic agents. On the other hand, some inhibitors of RNases of natural or synthetic origin were demonstrated to be perspective drugs that inhibit tumor growth.