Dismantling the Epigenetic Alliance: Emerging Strategies to Disrupt the PRMT5:MEP50 Complex for Cancer Therapy

Abstract

The protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and its obligate cofactor MEP50 (WDR77) form a highly conserved enzymatic complex that orchestrates key epigenetic processes, including histone arginine methylation, transcriptional repression, RNA splicing, and DNA damage repair. Dysregulation of the PRMT5:MEP50 complex has been implicated in the initiation and progression of diverse cancers, where it contributes to silencing of tumor suppressor genes, enhancement of oncogenic signaling, and maintenance of stem-like phenotypes. While most therapeutic strategies have focused on catalytic inhibition of PRMT5 via S-adenosylmethionine-competitive compounds, recent insights into the structural biology of PRMT5:MEP50 have revealed the protein–protein interaction (PPI) interface as a novel and selective therapeutic target. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the structural basis and biological significance of the PRMT5:MEP50 interaction, highlighting its role in tumorigenesis and its functional specificity across cancer types. We examine emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at disrupting this interface, including rationally designed small-molecule inhibitors and natural compounds like Sulforaphane (SFN), which selectively impair PRMT5:MEP50 function without affecting global methylation. Moreover, we explore cancer models—such as prostate cancer, mesothelioma, T-cell leukemia, and lung cancer—that exhibit dependency on PRMT5:MEP50, and discuss their response to genetic and pharmacological disruption of the complex. Finally, we outline key challenges and future directions in translating PRMT5:MEP50 PPI inhibitors into clinical settings, emphasizing the importance of biomarker-guided patient selection, combination therapy strategies, and optimization of drug pharmacokinetics. Together, these insights underscore the therapeutic promise of targeting the PRMT5:MEP50 interaction as a next-generation approach to precision epigenetic cancer therapy.