USP7 is a cysteine protease, belongs to the family of ubiquitin-specific proteases. USP7 was first discovered as a binding enzyme to the Herpes simplex viral protein. Studies have shown that USP7 could deubiquitinate the autoubiquitination of an E3 ligase called HDM2 that promotes ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of p53. The USP7/HDM2/p53 interaction results in higher protein levels of HDM2 and lower levels of p53. Because of its apparent role in different types of pathologies, including lung and liver cancer, it has become a possible target for drug therapies.
