Mechanism of Alternative Splicing in Cancer Therapy

Alternative splicing is an important process that leads to the production of multiple proteins from a
single gene by the rearrangement of exons and introns. It is one of the main drivers of proteome
diversity. The spliceosome is the macromolecular machinery that mediates the process of alternative
splicing through a multi-step process involving sequential binding and release of small nuclear
ribonuclear protein (snRNP). Alternative splicing is a complex process that is tightly regulated by SR
proteins, hnRNPs and several splicing factors. Aberration in alternative splicing patterns is associated
with several diseases including cancer. By modulating alternative splicing, the course of a disease
may be altered or prevented. This review focuses on the role of alternative splicing in cancer
development, the alteration of splicing factors in cancer, small molecules that inhibit splicing, targeting
splicing regulators and the use of oligonucleotides that can be employed as potential therapeutic
strategies in cancer therapy.