Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) mRNA (HSF1 mRNA)

Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) mRNA is the messenger RNA transcript that encodes the HSF1 protein, which serves as the master transcriptional regulator of the heat shock response in eukaryotic cells (Source: UniProt P10892). The HSF1 protein is critical for maintaining proteostasis by inducing the expression of molecular chaperones, such as HSP70 and HSP90, which assist in protein folding and prevent the aggregation of damaged proteins during cellular stress (Source: NIH Gene ID 3297). In many cancers, HSF1 is constitutively active or overexpressed, providing a survival advantage to malignant cells by helping them cope with the proteotoxic stress caused by rapid proliferation, aneuploidy, and a hostile tumor microenvironment (Source: Mendillo et al., Cell, 2012). Because the HSF1 protein lacks a traditional ligand-binding pocket and is considered difficult to target with small molecules, its mRNA has become a primary focus for nucleic acid-based therapeutics. Drugs like TKM-HSF1 utilize RNA interference (RNAi) to specifically degrade HSF1 mRNA, effectively silencing the production of the HSF1 protein and sensitizing cancer cells to apoptosis (Source: Arbutus Biopharma; Santagata et al., Science, 2013). This strategy aims to disrupt the 'non-oncogene addiction' of cancer cells to the heat shock response while potentially sparing normal cells that are less dependent on high levels of HSF1.

Other names

Heat shock transcription factor 1 mRNAHSTF1 mRNAHSF1 transcript

RNA interference (RNAi) or antisense-mediated degradation of mRNA to prevent translation of the HSF1 protein (Source: Arbutus Biopharma; Santagata et al., Science, 2013).