title: Muc4/MUC4 functions and regulation in cancer.
abstract: The membrane mucin MUC4 (human) is abundantly expressed in many epithelia, where it is proposed to play a protective role, and is overexpressed in some epithelial tumors. Studies on the rat homologue, Muc4, indicate that it acts through anti-adhesive or signaling mechanisms. In particular, Muc4/MUC4 can serve as a ligand/modulator of the receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB2, regulating its phosphorylation and the phosphorylation of its partner ErbB3, with or without the involvement of the ErbB3 ligand neuregulin. Muc4/MUC4 can also modulate cell apoptosis via multiple mechanisms, both ErbB2 dependent and independent. Muc4/MUC4 expression is regulated by multiple mechanisms, ranging from transcriptional to post-translational. The roles of MUC4 in tumors suggest that it may be valuable as a tumor marker or target for therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA. KCarrawa@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Kermit L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Carraway
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
authors.forename: Goldi A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kozloski
authors.forename: Coralie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Carothers Carraway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D055264:Mucin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C524658:MUC4 protein, human; D055264:Mucin-4