Alternative splicing of DNA damage response genes and gastrointestinal cancers

Figure 2 A model of cancer diagnosis and treatment targeting alternatively spliced variant forms. c-Myc has a critical role in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. An far upstream element binding protein-interacting repressor (FIR) splice variant that lacks exon 2 (FIRΔexon2) activates c-myc transcription by disabling authentic FIR repression of c-myc in cancer cells[40]. FIR gene therapy is a potential cancer treatment[98]. FIRΔexon2 protein inhibition of transport into the nucleus and/or FIRΔexon2 mRNA inhibition of export into the cytoplasm may be potential molecular targets for future cancer therapy for suppression of c-Myc. FIR and/or FIRΔexon2 mRNAs in peripheral blood are potent biomarkers for cancer detection[97].