FOXOs, cancer and regulation of apoptosis.
Forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factors are involved in multiple signaling pathways and play critical roles in a number of physiological and pathological processes including cancer. The importance of FOXO factors ascribes them under multiple levels of regulation including phosphorylation, acetylation/deacetylation, ubiquitination and protein-protein interactions. As FOXO factors play a pivotal role in cell fate decision, mounting evidence suggests that FOXO factors function as tumor suppressors in a variety of cancers. FOXOs are actively involved in promoting apoptosis in a mitochondria-independent and -dependent manner by inducing the expression of death receptor ligands, including Fas ligand and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, and Bcl-2 family members, such as Bim, bNIP3 and Bcl-X(L), respectively. An understanding of FOXO proteins and their biology will provide new opportunities for developing more effective therapeutic approaches to treat cancer.
Fu
Z
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Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Tindall
D J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors