HOX genes and their role in the development of human cancers

Abstract

In this review, we summarize published findings on the involvement of HOX genes in oncogenesis. HOX genes are developmental genes--they code for proteins that function as critical master regulatory transcription factors during embryogenesis. Many reports have shown that the protein products of HOX genes also play key roles in the development of cancers. Based on our review of the literature, we found that the expression of HOX genes is not only up- or downregulated in most solid tumors but also that the expression of specific HOX genes in cancers tends to differ based on tissue type and tumor site. It was also observed that HOXC family gene expression is upregulated in most solid tumor types, including colon, lung, and prostate cancer. The two HOX genes that were reported to be most commonly altered in solid tumors were HOXA9 and HOXB13. HOXA were often reported to have altered expression in breast and ovarian cancers, HOXB genes in colon cancers, HOXC genes in prostate and lung cancers, and HOXD genes in colon and breast cancers. It was found that HOX genes are also regulated at the nuclear-cytoplasmic transport level in carcinomas. Tumors arising from tissue having similar embryonic origin (endodermal), including colon, prostate, and lung, showed relatively similar HOXA and HOXB family gene expression patterns compared to breast tumors arising from mammary tissue, which originates from the ectoderm. The differential expression of HOX genes in various solid tumors thus provides an opportunity to advance our understanding of cancer development and to develop new therapeutic agents.

Discovering lncRNA mediated sponge interactions in breast cancer molecular subtypes

“…Their aberrant expression has been reported in multiple cancer types [44]. HOXA is reported to have altered expression in breast and ovarian cancers; other HOX genes are also associated with multiple tumor types, including colon, lung, and prostate cancer.…”

Use of Gene Expression Analysis for Discrimination of Primary and Secondary Adenocarcinoma of the Liver

“…HOX genes code for different regulatory transcription factors during embryogenesis and organ development, so it is not surprising that these genes are often found to be dysregulated in most solid tumor types, including colon, lung, breast, and prostate cancer [33]. Interestingly, our data imply a potential importance for metastasis of colorectal cancer since HOXA9 was one of the most over-DOI: 10.1159/000489563 expressed genes (fc 4.38) in all tumor probes, whereas this gene was downregulated in all ICCs.…”

Overexpression of microRNA-196b Accelerates Invasiveness of Cancer Cells in Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Through Regulation of Homeobox A9

“…HOX genes act not only as transcriptional activators in cancers but also as transcriptional repressors. Thus, both up-regulation and downregulation of the members of the HOX family of transcription factors appear critical for the promotion of tumorigenesis (24). Aberrant expression of HOX genes has been reported in various cancers including EOC.…”