Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2020. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Jan 6, 2020; 8(1): 1-10
Published online Jan 6, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i1.1
Role of oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins in malignant human tumours
Hao Liu, Shuai Huang
Hao Liu, Shuai Huang, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China
Author contributions: Liu H and Huang S contributed to the design and writing of the review; all the authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: There is no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially and license their derivative works on different terms provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Shuai Huang, PhD, Doctor, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 Jianshe East Road, Erqi District, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China. fcchuangs@zzu.edu.cn
Received: October 7, 2019
Peer-review started: October 7, 2019
First decision: November 9, 2019
Revised: December 5, 2019
Accepted: December 13, 2019
Article in press: December 13, 2019
Published online: January 6, 2020
Processing time: 91 Days and 19.4 Hours
Abstract

The oxysterol-binding protein-related protein (ORP) family is a group of proteins that mediate oxysterol metabolism and bioactivity in cells. ORPs constitute a large family of lipid transfer proteins. Much of the current evidence indicates that certain members of the family of oxysterol-binding proteins (OSBPs) can lead to cancer. Many studies have revealed the putative roles of OSBPs in various cancer types. However, the exact effects and mechanisms of action of members of the OSBP/ORP family in cancer initiation and progression are currently unclear. This review focuses on ORP family members that can accelerate human tumour cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The mechanisms and functions of various ORPs are introduced in detail. We also attempt to identify the roles of these proteins in malignant tumours with the ultimate aim of determining the exact role of the OSBP/ORP family in human tumour cells.

Keywords: Oxysterol-binding protein family; Oxysterol-binding protein-related protein; Malignant tumour; Role; Human tumour; Tumour proliferation, migration, and invasion

Core tip: This review focuses on the oxysterol binding protein-related protein (ORP) family, which has the capacity to accelerate human tumour cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The mechanisms and functions of various ORP proteins are introduced in detail. We also question the roles exerted by these proteins in malignant tumours. We hope that one day, we can finally determine the exact role of the oxysterol-binding protein/ORP protein family in human tumour cells. We believe that one day, the ORP family will definitely serve as a potential and clinically significant therapeutic target in cancer patients.