New insights into the function and therapeutic potential of RNA-binding protein TRBP in viral infection, chronic metabolic diseases, brain disorders and cancer.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and non-coding RNAs are crucial trans-acting factors that bind to specific cis-acting elements in mRNAs, thereby regulating their stability and translation. The trans-activation response (TAR) RNA-binding protein (TRBP) recognizes precursor microRNAs (pre-miRNAs), modulates miRNA maturation, and influences miRNA interference (mi-RNAi) mediated by the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). TRBP also directly binds and mediates the degradation of certain mRNAs. Thus, TRBP acts as a hub for regulating gene expression and influences a variety of biological processes, including immune evasion, metabolic abnormalities, stress response, angiogenesis, hypoxia, and metastasis. Aberrant TRBP expression has been proven to be closely related to the initiation and progression of diseases, such as viral infection, chronic metabolic diseases, brain disorders, and cancer. This review summarizes the roles of TRBP in cancer and other diseases, the therapeutic potential of TRBP inhibition, and the current status of drug discovery on TRBP.