E3 Ubiquitin Ligases and Their Therapeutic Applications in Cancers: Narrative Review

Abstract

ABSTRACT E3 ubiquitin ligases are a class of enzymes, essential for maintaining the equilibrium of cells by binding ubiquitin molecules to substrates to mark them for destruction. Since many cancer-related proteins, including both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive ones, are controlled by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, E3 ligases have drawn a great deal of interest as potential targets for the creation of anti-cancer drugs. This is because E3 ligases function as modules that select the substrates that are intended for degradation, giving them the ability to particularly affect proteins that are connected to cancer. Their molecular properties and the ways in which they work serve as the basis for these distinctions. Investment in the creation of bioactive substances that can target E3 ligases is essential given the crucial roles they play in cancer. These substances have the potential to be powerful cancer-fighting tools. In this review, we explore the crucial roles that E3 ligases play in the biology of cancer. We also examine the current bioactive substances that have been created to target different E3 ligases, emphasizing their potential as candidates for treating the cancers.