title: Gastric intestinal metaplasia revisited: function and regulation of CDX2.
abstract: Intestinal metaplasia of the stomach is a preneoplastic lesion that appears following Helicobacter pylori infection and confers increased risk for gastric cancer development. However, the molecular networks connecting infection to lesion formation and the cellular origin of this lesion remain largely unknown. A more comprehensive understanding of how intestinal metaplasia arises and is maintained will be a major breakthrough towards developing novel therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, after ascertaining the pivotal role of CDX2 in establishing and maintaining intestinal metaplasia, it becomes important to decipher the upstream molecular pathways leading to its ectopic expression. Here, we review the pathophysiology of intestinal metaplasia in the context of the molecular network involved in its establishment and maintenance, with emphasis on CDX2 function and regulation.
authors.affiliation: IPATIMUP - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. rbarros@ipatimup.pt
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Jean-Noël
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Freund
authors.forename: Leonor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; C491270:CDX2 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins