Rb1, also known as the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene, is a prototype tumor suppressor gene. It plays a key role in restraining cell cycle entry and, along with its family members, regulates numerous cellular processes, ultimately determining cell fate. Alterations in the RB1 pathway occur in most human cancers and often have prognostic value. RB1 status is a crucial determinant of the cell response to antitumoral therapies, impacting the outcome of both traditional and modern anti-cancer strategies [1,3].

Mutation of the RB1 gene has been observed in multiple types of malignant tumors, including prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and almost every familial and sporadic case of retinoblastoma. Research has focused on the mechanism underlying RB1 mutation during oncogenesis, and potential clinical strategies targeting RB1-mutated cancers have been discussed [1]. In addition, the loss of RB1 function drives tumorigenesis in limited types of malignancies such as retinoblastoma and small cell lung cancer. A variety of novel therapies have been proposed to target RB1 loss, for example, the inhibition of certain mitotic kinases appears to be synthetic lethal with RB1 deficiency [2].

In conclusion, RB1 is a vital tumor suppressor gene whose function is closely related to cell cycle regulation and cancer development. Studies on RB1-mutated or-deficient models, especially in relation to cancer, have provided valuable insights into the mechanisms of tumorigenesis and potential therapeutic strategies for cancers where RB1 function is compromised.

References:

1. Yao, Yiran, Gu, Xiang, Xu, Xiaofang, Ge, Shengfang, Jia, Renbing. 2022. Novel insights into RB1 mutation. In Cancer letters, 547, 215870. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215870. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35964818/

2. Linn, Paing, Kohno, Susumu, Sheng, Jindan, Watanabe, Yoshihiro, Takahashi, Chiaki. 2021. Targeting RB1 Loss in Cancers. In Cancers, 13, . doi:10.3390/cancers13153737. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34359636/

3. Indovina, Paola, Pentimalli, Francesca, Conti, Daniele, Giordano, Antonio. 2019. Translating RB1 predictive value in clinical cancer therapy: Are we there yet? In Biochemical pharmacology, 166, 323-334. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2019.06.003. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31176618/