Open AccessDoes Notch play a tumor suppressor role across diverse squamous cell carcinomas?
Author(s) -
Zhang Min,
Biswas Sangita,
Qin Xin,
Gong Wenrong,
Deng Wenbing,
Yu Hongjun
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
cancer medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2045-7634
DOI - 10.1002/cam4.731
Subject(s) - notch signaling pathway , carcinogenesis , biology , cyclin dependent kinase 8 , context (archaeology) , cancer research , suppressor , notch proteins , function (biology) , cancer , mutation , signal transduction , gene , genetics , paleontology
The role of Notch pathway in tumorigenesis is highly variable. It can be tumor suppressive or pro‐oncogenic, typically depending on the cellular context. Squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC ) is a cancer of the squamous cell, which can occur in diverse human tissues. SCC s are one of the most frequent human malignancies for which the pathologic mechanisms remain elusive. Recent genomic analysis of diverse SCC s identified marked levels of mutations in NOTCH 1 , implicating Notch signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of SCC s. In this review, evidences highlighting NOTCH 's role in different types of SCC s are summarized. Moreover, based on accumulating structural information of the NOTCH receptor, the functional consequences of NOTCH 1 gene mutations identified from diverse SCC s are analyzed, emphasizing loss of function of Notch in these cancers. Finally, we discuss the convergent view on an intriguing possibility that Notch may function as tumor suppressor in SCC s across different tissues. These mechanistic insights into Notch signaling pathways will help to guide the research of SCC s and development of therapeutic strategies for these cancers.