Insight into the Regulation of NDRG1 Expression

The N-Myc Downstream Regulated Gene 1 (NDRG1) protein, a member of a family of four, has emerged as a key regulator of various physiological and pathological processes. Extensive knowledge has been gained on the modulation of NDRG1 expression during endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and hypoxia. Moreover, new functions have emerged in recent years. Notably, NDRG1 regulates cell differentiation, metabolism, autophagy and vesicular transport. This has raised interest in the molecular mechanisms that control the cellular levels and activity of NDRG1. A series of studies have shown that NDRG1 can be finely regulated at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational levels. In addition, processes that mediate protein degradation and clearance also play key roles. Furthermore, three different NDRG1 proteoforms with distinct functions have been identified. An important question is the extent to which these proteoforms contribute to the regulation of cellular functions. Given the growing clinical interest in NDRG1, this review provides an overview of the regulatory mechanisms that control NDRG1 abundance, helping to deepen our understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying protein regulation.