Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) and Growth Regulation in the Drosophila Model.

Reprogramming tumor cells to a normal state is a central issue in cancer biology. Human translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) has emerged as a major player in tumor reversion. However, genetic networks linked to the family of TCTP proteins are complex, and the roles of TCTP in tumor formation and reversion are only partially understood. Genetic analysis in model organisms can provide clues to the biological functions of TCTP in vivo as well as deliver insights into its roles in normal and cancer cells. Studies in the Drosophila model have revealed a wide range of Tctp functions regulating tissue growth, cell death, genome stability, and chromatin organization. Silencing of Tctp suppresses tumorous growth in fly organs, consistent with the human TCTP role in tumor reversion. In this chapter, we focus on the genetic and molecular interactions of Tctp with specific partners involved in growth signaling, DNA repair, and epigenetic regulation in Drosophila. These studies highlight Drosophila as an efficient animal model for studying TCTP functions in growth control and tumor reversion.