HOPX: A Unique Homeodomain Protein in Development and Tumor Suppression.
Ravindran Caspa GokulanLee Fah YapIan Charles PatersonPublished in: Cancers (2022)
Homeobox genes are master regulators of morphogenesis and differentiation by acting at the top of genetic hierarchies and their deregulation is associated with a variety of human diseases. They usually contain a highly conserved sequence that codes for the homeodomain of the protein, a specialized motif with three α helices and an N-terminal arm that aids in DNA binding. However, one homeodomain protein, HOPX, is unique among its family members in that it lacks the capacity to bind DNA and instead functions by interacting with transcriptional regulators. HOPX plays crucial roles in organogenesis and is expressed in both embryonic and adult stem cells. Loss of HOPX expression is common in cancer, where it functions primarily as a tumor suppressor gene. In this review, we describe the function of HOPX in development and discuss its role in carcinogenesis.
Keyphrases
- transcription factor
- dna binding
- genome wide identification
- stem cells
- genome wide
- binding protein
- protein protein
- amino acid
- endothelial cells
- poor prognosis
- papillary thyroid
- gene expression
- palliative care
- dna methylation
- small molecule
- circulating tumor
- lymph node metastasis
- cell therapy
- squamous cell
- single molecule
- heat shock protein