File:Sox transcription factors cartoon 01.jpg

Involvement of SOX proteins in various developmental pathways

Some have also been associated with tumorigenesis.

Oncoscience. 2014 Jun 2;1(5):326-35. eCollection 2014. SOX15 and other SOX family members are important mediators of tumorigenesis in multiple cancer types. Thu KL1, Becker-Santos DD1, Radulovich N1, Pikor LA1, Lam WL1, Tsao MS2. Author information Abstract SOX genes are transcription factors with important roles in embryonic development and carcinogenesis. The SOX family of 20 genes is responsible for regulating lineage and tissue specific gene expression patterns, controlling numerous developmental processes including cell differentiation, sex determination, and organogenesis. As is the case with many genes involved in regulating development, SOX genes are frequently deregulated in cancer. In this perspective we provide a brief overview of how SOX proteins can promote or suppress cancer growth. We also present a pan-cancer analysis of aberrant SOX gene expression and highlight potential molecular mechanisms responsible for their disruption in cancer. Our analyses indicate the prominence of SOX deregulation in different cancer types and reveal potential roles for SOX genes not previously described in cancer. Finally, we summarize our recent identification of SOX15 as a candidate tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer and propose several research avenues to pursue to further delineate the emerging role of SOX15 in development and carcinogenesis. KEYWORDS: SOX; SOX15; cancer; development; oncogene; tumor suppressor PMID: 25594027 [PubMed] PMCID: PMC4278306

http://www.impactjournals.com/oncoscience/index.php?abs=46

http://www.impactjournals.com/oncoscience/files/papers/1/46/46.pdf

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