The 14-3-3 cancer connection

14-3-3 proteins regulate many cellular processes that are important in cancer biology, such as apoptosis and cell-cycle checkpoints. There are seven human 14-3-3 genes and one of these, 14-3-3sigma, has been directly implicated in the aetiology of human cancer. Loss of 14-3-3sigma expression sensitizes cancer cells to conventional anticancer agents, so its inhibition could be exploited for therapeutic purposes. Interference with 14-3-3 function as a therapeutic approach is being evaluated at present and, in the case of UCN-01, is under clinical investigation.