BRCA1: linking HOX to breast cancer suppression.
Homeobox (HOX) genes play key roles in embryogenesis and tissue differentiation. Recently, a number of groups have reported altered HOX gene expression in breast cancer. However, the mechanism of HOX gene regulation and the search for direct targets of its transcriptional regulatory function have been minimally fruitful. Recently, Gilbert and colleagues reported that HOXA9 restrains breast cancer progression by upregulation of BRCA1, a tumor suppressor. This finding raises our hope that more, rather elusive targets of HOX genes important in tumor progression or suppression will be found in the future.
Jin
Kideok
K
Breast Cancer Program, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns, Hopkins, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1650 Orleans Street, Room 143 CRB1, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
Sukumar
Saraswati
S
D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans
D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C097899:homeobox protein HOXA9