title: NFAT as cancer target: mission possible?
abstract: The NFAT signaling pathway regulates various aspects of cellular functions; NFAT acts as a calcium sensor, integrating calcium signaling with other pathways involved in development and growth, immune response, and inflammatory response. The NFAT family of transcription factors regulates diverse cellular functions such as cell survival, proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. The NFAT isoforms are constitutively activated and overexpressed in several cancer types wherein they transactivate downstream targets that play important roles in cancer development and progression. Though the NFAT family has been conclusively proved to be pivotal in cancer progression, the different isoforms play distinct roles in different cellular contexts. In this review, our discussion is focused on the mechanisms that drive the activation of various NFAT isoforms in cancer. Additionally, we analyze the potential of NFAT as a valid target for cancer prevention and therapy.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA.
authors: Jiang-Jiang
authors: JJ
authors: Qin
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA.
authors: Subhasree
authors: S
authors: Nag
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA; Cancer Biology Center, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Toxicology, Cancer Center, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China.
authors: Jianwei
authors: J
authors: Zhou
authors: School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors: Wei-Dong
authors: WD
authors: Zhang
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, PR China; Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, Ministry of Health, Beijing 100021, PR China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA; Cancer Biology Center, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA. Electronic address: ruiwen.zhang@ttuhsc.edu.
authors: Ruiwen
authors: R
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D018450:Disease Progression; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D020033:Protein Isoforms
keywords: Calcineurin–NFAT signaling; Cancer development and progression; Drug target; NFAT; NFAT regulation; Small molecule inhibitor