Mechanistic insights and clinical implications of RNA-binding proteins in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains one of the most common cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related morbidity in men worldwide. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression via binding to RNAs and influencing their stability, localization, alternative splicing, and translation. Aberrant expression of RBPs causes various diseases, including cancer. Growing evidence has indicated that RBPs participate in PCa tumorigenesis, progression, and therapeutic resistance. Specifically, RBPs can regulate cancerous behaviors of the cells, including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and metastasis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the biological functions of RBPs, as well as the mechanisms by which they contribute to PCa, highlighting their crucial role in regulating signaling pathways and AR signaling. Furthermore, we discuss the clinical applications of RBPs in PCa as both prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, as well as their potential as therapeutic targets.