title: NANOG: a promising target for digestive malignant tumors.
abstract: NANOG has been extensively researched since its discovery by Chambers et al. NANOG is a homeodomain transcription factor and an essential regulator of embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal, which inhibits differentiation. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subset of cells that are thought to drive uncontrolled tumor growth; CSCs retain the tumor capabilities of self-renewal and propagation. The existence of CSCs was recently shown by direct experimental evidence. NANOG is expressed in CSCs and ESCs, although it remains unclear whether ESCs and CSCs share similar mechanisms in the regulation of physical and biological processes. Several studies suggest that the expression level of NANOG is high in cancer tissues and low or absent in normal tissues. High levels of NANOG expression are associated with advanced stages of cancer and a poor prognosis, indicating that it plays a vital role in tumor transformation, tumorigenesis, and tumor metastasis. NANOG is part of a complex regulatory network that controls cell fate determination, proliferation, and apoptosis. NANOG cooperates with other regulators, such as microflora, transcription factors, and kinases, in cancer cells. NANOG might have a promising future in anti-cancer and other therapeutic treatments, which could improve human health.
authors.affiliation: Ai-Xi Sun, Chang-Jiang Liu, Zi-Qin Sun, Zhi Wei, Department of Gastroenterology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Xi
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Ai-Xi Sun, Chang-Jiang Liu, Zi-Qin Sun, Zhi Wei, Department of Gastroenterology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Jiang
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Ai-Xi Sun, Chang-Jiang Liu, Zi-Qin Sun, Zhi Wei, Department of Gastroenterology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Qin
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Ai-Xi Sun, Chang-Jiang Liu, Zi-Qin Sun, Zhi Wei, Department of Gastroenterology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015195:Drug Design; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D060066:Protein Interaction Maps; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C486780:NANOG protein, human; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein
keywords: Anti-cancer; Cancer stem cells; Gastrointestinal tumor; NANOG