Staphylococcal nuclease and tudor domain-containing protein 1: An emerging therapeutic target in cancer (Review).

Staphylococcal nuclease and tudor domain-containing protein 1 (SND1) is an oncoprotein that is overexpressed in various types of cancer, including breast, prostate, lung, colorectal and hepatocellular carcinomas, as well as malignant gliomas, especially in cases of advanced and metastatic cancer. SND1 has a significant role in tumour development via its interactions with RNA and partner proteins. SND1 functions as a nuclease within the RNA-induced silencing complex, where small RNAs (such as siRNAs or miRNAs) bind to ribonucleoproteins to mediate RNA interference and silencing of tumour suppressor genes. Metadherin (MTDH) has been identified as an important protein partner of SND1, and the SND1-MTDH interaction has been reported to drive tumour initiation, metastasis and immune evasion in various types of cancer. Therefore, SND1 is considered as a crucial target for cancer therapy, and multiple approaches have been explored to inhibit its nuclease activity or disrupt its interaction with MTDH. In the present review, both the oncogenic functions of SND1 and therapeutic strategies that target either its binding to RNA or its interaction with MTDH are investigated.