Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) (IGF2BP1)

Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), also known as IMP-1, is a multifunctional RNA-binding protein that acts as a post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression. It is classified as an oncofetal protein, meaning it is highly expressed during fetal development but largely silenced in adult tissues, only to be aberrantly re-expressed in a wide range of human cancers, including lung, liver, and colorectal carcinomas. IGF2BP1 functions primarily as an m6A reader, binding to methylated mRNA transcripts to enhance their stability and translation, particularly for oncogenes like c-Myc, KRAS, and GLI1. By protecting these transcripts from degradation, IGF2BP1 drives key hallmarks of cancer such as uncontrolled proliferation, metastasis, and resistance to apoptosis. In drug discovery, it is considered a high-value therapeutic target, with small-molecule inhibitors like BTYNB being developed to disrupt its interaction with oncogenic RNA, thereby sensitizing tumor cells to treatment and inhibiting disease progression.

Other names

IMP1IMP-1Coding region determinant-binding protein (CRD-BP)Zipcode-binding protein 1 (ZBP1)VICKZ binding protein 1 (VICKZ1)Hepatocellular carcinoma autoantigen p62

Inhibition of RNA-protein interaction (specifically binding to oncogenic mRNAs like c-Myc or KRAS), leading to the destabilization and degradation of target transcripts [17, 20].