LIMCH1: A protein regulating cell migration and proliferation

Cell migration and proliferation are fundamental processes in the human body. Multicellular organism development starts with proliferation of a single cell, the zygote, and continues through cell migration to eventually form germ layers. These processes still play an outstanding role in growth and development of the organism. Cell migration and proliferation are regulated through a complex and multi-stage system. It is extremely interesting to study the proteins involved in it, since they can be potential targets for controlling these processes. LIMCH1 is one of such proteins. This protein consists of two functional domains, each of which can interact with a specific spectrum of proteins. The most studied, to date, are the interactions of the LIMCH1 protein with non-muscle type IIA myosin and the HUWE1 protein. In addition to the known ones, this review presents hypothetical molecular mechanisms of the participation of the LIMCH1 protein in cell migration and proliferation. Many pathological processes are associated with violations of the processes of migration and proliferation, in particular, malignant neoplasms. The review highlights the association of the LIMCH1 protein with carcinogenesis and tumor progression, which makes it possible to consider it as a potential therapeutic target.