Tumor progression and metastasis: role of translational deregulation.

Translation deregulation is implicated in cellular transformation. Aberrant flux through signalling pathways that impinge on the translation process and perturbations in the relative levels of key regulatory translation initiation factors has been documented in a variety of human cancer types. Recently, studies have demonstrated that translation deregulation also contributes to the metastatic phenotype through selective effects on the translation of mRNAs whose products are involved in various steps of metastasis including migration, invasion, angiogenesis, homing, and activation of survival loops at distal sites. Herein, we present the latest findings implicating perturbed translational control in the metastatic process.