Transcription Factors in Cancer

Different types of signalling pathways have been approved to be involved in cancer imitation and progression. These signalling pathways include the JAK-STAT signalling, NF-κB signalling, Wnt, Notch and Hedgehog. STAT (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription) transports signals between proteins from the cell membrane into the nucleus to contribute to cancer progression. NF-κB signalling is essential for the survival of the B cell tumor types. The Wnt, Notch, and Hedgehog signalling pathways play a significant role in carcinogenesis by upregulating the genes associated with these pathways. Hence, pharmacological inhibitors of WNT, NOTCH, and HH pathways are required in clinical studies. Such inhibitors have features that make them important during the clinical trial since they offer great potential as novel therapeutics for cancer. They also have an antitumor response which should be taken into consideration. The three signalling pathways are also known to shape cell fate determination and differentiation. In case of depletion of a single molecular component within the three pathways, embryonic lethality will form.

Keywords: HH signalling pathways, Hedgehog, NF-κB, NOTCH, Signaling, STAT, Transcription, Wnt (β)-Catenin.