title: SP and KLF Transcription Factors in Digestive Physiology and Diseases.
abstract: Specificity proteins (SPs) and Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) belong to the family of transcription factors that contain conserved zinc finger domains involved in binding to target DNA sequences. Many of these proteins are expressed in different tissues and have distinct tissue-specific activities and functions. Studies have shown that SPs and KLFs regulate not only physiological processes such as growth, development, differentiation, proliferation, and embryogenesis, but pathogenesis of many diseases, including cancer and inflammatory disorders. Consistently, these proteins have been shown to regulate normal functions and pathobiology in the digestive system. We review recent findings on the tissue- and organ-specific functions of SPs and KLFs in the digestive system including the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas, and liver. We provide a list of agents under development to target these proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York.
authors.forename: Chang-Kyung
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York. Electronic address: Agnieszka.Bialkowska@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
authors.forename: Agnieszka B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Bialkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York. Electronic address: Vincent.Yang@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
authors.forename: Vincent W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051703:Sp Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D051703:Sp Transcription Factors
keywords: Apoptosis; Cancer; Cell Cycle; Development; Differentiation; Digestive System; Krüppel-Like Factor; Proliferation; Specificity Protein; Stem Cells