title: Regulation of TAZ in cancer.
abstract: TAZ, a transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif, is encoded by WWTR1 gene (WW domain containing transcription regulator 1). TAZ is tightly regulated in the hippo pathway-dependent and -independent manner in response to a wide range of extracellular and intrinsic signals, including cell density, cell polarity, F-actin related mechanical stress, ligands of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), cellular energy status, hypoxia and osmotic stress. Besides its role in normal tissue development, TAZ plays critical roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and stemness in multiple human cancers. We discuss here the regulators and regulation of TAZ. We also highlight the tumorigenic roles of TAZ and its potential therapeutic impact in human cancers.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, 200032, China. XZhou8@mdanderson.org.|Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. XZhou8@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9362-8272
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, 200032, China. qlei@fudan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qun-Ying
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000217:Acyltransferases; C108675:TAFAZZIN protein, human
keywords: TAZ; cancer; the Hippo pathway