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Aberrant gene expression is the cause and the consequence of tumorigenesis. A major component of gene expression is translation regulation; a process whose main players are RNA-binding-proteins (RBPs). More than 800 RBPs have been identified in the human genome and several of them have been shown to control gene networks associated with relevant cancer processes. A more systematic characterization of RBPs starts to reveal that similar to transcription factors, they can function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. A relevant example is Musashi1 (Msi1), which is emerging as a critical regulator of tumorigenesis in multiple cancer types, including colon cancer. Msi1 is a stem marker in several tissues and is critical in maintaining the balance between self-renewal and differentiation. However, a boost in Msi1 expression can most likely lead cells towards an oncogenic pathway. In this article, we discuss the parallels between Msi1 function in normal renewal of intestinal epithelium and in colon cancer.

Interfacial cross-linking (ICL) has been considered a feasible technique to produce polysaccharide-based microparticles (PbMs), even though only a few studies have been concerned with their biocompatibility. In this work, PbMs were prepared by the ICL method and characterized in regard to their in vitro biocompatibility, chemical linkages, and physical and thermal properties. First, the cell viability assay revealed that PbMs toxicity was concentration-dependent. Then, it was observed that the toxicity may be related to the way in which the binding occurred, and not exclusively to the stoichiometry between the polymer and the cross-linking agent. Moreover, the PbMs biosafety was predicted by the use of physicochemical procedures, which were able to identify unbound cross-linking agent residues and also to reveal the improvement of their thermal stability. Accordingly, this work suggests a step-by-step physicochemical procedure able to predict potential toxicity from micro-structured devices produced by polysaccharides. Likewise, the use of PbMs as a drug carrier should be cautiously considered.

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