SnoN signaling in proliferating cells and postmitotic neurons.
The transcriptional regulator SnoN plays a fundamental role as a modulator of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)-induced signal transduction and biological responses. In recent years, novel functions of SnoN have been discovered in both TGFβ-dependent and TGFβ-independent settings in proliferating cells and postmitotic neurons. Accumulating evidence suggests that SnoN plays a dual role as a corepressor or coactivator of TGFβ-induced transcription. Accordingly, SnoN exerts oncogenic or tumor-suppressive effects in epithelial tissues. At the cellular level, SnoN antagonizes or mediates the ability of TGFβ to induce cell cycle arrest in a cell-type specific manner. SnoN also exerts key effects on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), with implications in cancer biology. Recent studies have expanded SnoN functions to postmitotic neurons, where SnoN orchestrates key aspects of neuronal development in the mammalian brain, from axon growth and branching to neuronal migration and positioning. In this review, we will highlight our understanding of SnoN biology at the crossroads of cancer biology and neurobiology.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1. sbonni@ucalgary.ca
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Azad
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Bonni
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008938:Mitosis; D008954:Models, Biological; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C060615:SKIL protein, human