An overview of vital functions of human ecdysoneless (ECD), a highly conserved protein.

Human ecdysoneless (ECD), the human ortholog of Ecd protein of Drosophila melanogaster, is a highly conserved protein. This protein comprises a well-folded N-terminal domain and a disordered C-terminal domain; these domains interact with multiple proteins and are involved in diverse biological processes, including cell cycle regulation, transactivation, pre-mRNA splicing, and glucose metabolism. ECD is highly expressed in various cancers, and its elevated expression is associated with poor prognosis in several types of human cancers. Therefore, it can serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for treating tumors. This review focuses on the currently available knowledge of the physiological and pathological functions of ECD; moreover, the directions of prospective research in the relevant field have been discussed.