mRNA 3′ UTRs facilitate an intricate network of interactions between miRNA-AGO and RBPs.
The mode of interaction between miRNA-AGO and RBPs on target mRNAs determine the outcome of gene regulation in cancer.
RBP-RBP interactions and their cumulative binding patterns on mRNA 3′ UTRs influence miRNA-AGO recognition of targets for repression.
Transcriptome wide approaches exploring AGO-RBP interactions in primary tumors is paramount to have a comprehensive understanding of mRNA metabolism in cancer.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are important regulators of mRNA translation and stability in eukaryotes. While miRNAs can only bind their target mRNAs in association with Argonaute proteins (AGOs), RBPs directly bind their targets either as single entities or in complex with other RBPs to control mRNA metabolism. miRNA binding in 3′ untranslated regions (3′ UTRs) of mRNAs facilitates an intricate network of interactions between miRNA-AGO and RBPs, thus determining the fate of overlapping targets. Here, we review the current knowledge on the interplay between miRNA-AGO and multiple RBPs in different cellular contexts, the rules underlying their synergism and antagonism on target mRNAs, as well as highlight the implications of these regulatory modules in cancer initiation and progression.