title: Human height genes and cancer.
abstract: Body development requires the ability to control cell proliferation and metabolism, together with selective 'invasive' cell migration for organogenesis. These requirements are shared with cancer. Human height-associated loci have been recently identified by genome-wide SNP-association studies. Strikingly, most of the more than 100 genes found associated to height appear linked to neoplastic growth, and impose a higher risk for cancer. Height-associated genes drive the HH/PTCH and BMP/TGFβ pathways, with p53, c-Myc, ERα, HNF4A and SMADs as central network nodes. Genetic analysis of body-size-affecting diseases and evidence from genetically-modified animals support this model. The finding that cancer is deeply linked to normal, body-plan master genes may profoundly affect current paradigms on tumor development.
authors: Unit of Cancer Pathology, Department of Neuroscience and Imaging and CeSI, Foundation University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.
authors: Romina
authors: R
authors: Tripaldi
authors: Liborio
authors: L
authors: Stuppia
authors: Saverio
authors: S
authors: Alberti
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins