ReviewGene-to-screenPOPDC proteins as potential novel therapeutic targets in cancer

•Popdc proteins are cAMP-binding proteins associated with cancer cell signalling.•Popdc protein suppression promotes cancer progression.•Popdc protein suppression correlates with poor clinical outcomes.•Re-expression of POPDC genes reduce cancer cell growth, migration and metastasis.•Popdc proteins are promising potential novel anti-cancer therapeutic targets.

Popeye domain-containing (POPDC) proteins are a novel class of cAMP-binding molecules that affect cancer cell behaviour and correlate with poor clinical outcomes. They are encoded by the POPDC genes POPDC1, POPDC2, and POPDC3. The deletion of POPDC genes and the suppression of POPDC proteins correlate with enhanced cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis, drug resistance, and poor patient survival in various human cancers. Overexpression of POPDC proteins inhibits cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro. POPDC proteins present promising anticancer therapeutic targets and here we review their roles in promoting cancer progression and highlight their potential as anticancer therapeutic targets.