TAZ, a transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif, is encoded by WWTR1 gene (WW domain containing transcription regulator 1). TAZ is tightly regulated in the hippo pathway-dependent and -independent manner in response to a wide range of extracellular and intrinsic signals, including cell density, cell polarity, F-actin related mechanical stress, ligands of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), cellular energy status, hypoxia and osmotic stress. Besides its role in normal tissue development, TAZ plays critical roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and stemness in multiple human cancers. We discuss here the regulators and regulation of TAZ. We also highlight the tumorigenic roles of TAZ and its potential therapeutic impact in human cancers.
Keyphrases
- epithelial mesenchymal transition
- endothelial cells
- transcription factor
- cell proliferation
- single cell
- stem cells
- induced pluripotent stem cells
- cell therapy
- signaling pathway
- gene expression
- squamous cell carcinoma
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- papillary thyroid
- dna methylation
- bone marrow
- young adults
- binding protein
- dna binding
- pi k akt
- childhood cancer
- genome wide identification
- cell cycle arrest