Phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 results in its release from eIF4E, thereby allows cap-dependent translation to continue thereby increasing the rate of protein synthesis.

[7] This gene encodes one member of a family of translation repressor proteins.

The protein directly interacts with eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), which is a limiting component of the multisubunit complex that recruits 40S ribosomal subunits to the 5' end of mRNAs.

Interaction of this protein with eIF4E inhibits complex assembly and represses translation.

[8] High level of phosphorylated 4E-BP1 has been widely reported in human cancers, and is associated with a worse outcome in several malignancies.