Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 2 (CPEB2)

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 2 (CPEB2) is an RNA binding protein belonging to the CPEB family, which includes CPEB1–4. CPEB2 recognizes and binds to cytoplasmic polyadenylation elements (CPEs; sequence: UUUUUAU) in the 3’ untranslated regions of specific mRNAs, modulating their stability and translation by controlling poly(A) tail length[1][3]. CPEB2 functions as a post-transcriptional regulator critical for integrating hormonal signaling (for example, estrogen/progesterone) and cell cycle regulation, especially in hormone-responsive tissues such as the mammary gland[1]. In cancer biology, CPEB2 has been identified as a tumor suppressor in some cancers (e.g., glioma), where it inhibits cell proliferation by upregulating p21 expression and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis[3]. CPEB2 plays a key role in the development of hormone-responsive breast cancers, mediating translation of mRNAs for proteins crucial to proliferation and differentiation, and its loss disrupts normal hormonal signaling and promotes tumorigenesis[1]. As of now, there are no known drugs directly targeting CPEB2, but its function suggests potential as a biomarker for disease prognosis and as a target for therapeutic development, particularly in cancers driven by gene expression at the post-transcriptional level[1][3].

Other names

CPE-BP2CPE-binding protein 2hCPEB-2CPEB-2

Modulation of mRNA polyadenylation and translation (not drug, but molecular mechanism)[1][3] Upregulation of cell cycle inhibitor p21 via stabilization of its mRNA[3]