Calici researchers (Young Bin Park, Jae-Mun Choi) have published their fourth co-authored study in the international journal Experimental & Molecular Medicine (2025), reporting on comprehensive profiling of RNA modification-related genes.
The study analyzed 76 RNA modification-related genes across major cancers—including breast, colon, liver, and lung cancers—using Cancer Genome Atlas data. Three candidate genes linked to poorer patient survival outcomes were identified, with the RNA m⁷G-binding protein CBP20 emerging as a key therapeutic target for inhibiting tumor growth.
Experimental knockdown of CBP20 led to reduced cancer cell viability, induced apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest, which were further confirmed by RNA sequencing analysis. Network-based drug similarity analysis also identified existing compounds—Raloxifene, Purpurogallin, and Enoxacin—that can mimic the effects of CBP20 inhibition.
This research underscores the critical role of RNA modifications in cancer progression and highlights CBP20 as a promising target for the development of novel anti-cancer therapies.