NHERF1 Between Promises and Hopes: Overview on Cancer and Prospective Openings

Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) is a scaffold protein, with two tandem PDZ domains and a carboxyl-terminal ezrin-binding (EB) region. This particular sticky structure is responsible for its interaction with different molecules to form multi-complexes that have a pivotal role in a lot of diseases. In particular, its involvement during carcinogenesis and cancer progression has been deeply analyzed in different tumors. The role of NHERF1 is not unique in cancer; its activity is connected to its subcellular localization. The literature data suggest that NHERF1 could be a new prognostic/predictive biomarker from breast cancer to hematological cancers. Furthermore, the high potential of this molecule as therapeutical target in different carcinomas is a new challenge for precision medicine. These evidences are part of a future view to improving patient clinical management, which should allow different tumor phenotypes to be treated with tailored therapies. This article reviews the biology of NHERF1, its engagement in different signal pathways and its involvement in different cancers, with a specific focus on breast cancer. It also considers NHERF1 potential role during inflammation related to most human cancers, designating new perspectives in the study of this “Janus-like” protein.