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Review
. 2016 Feb;14(2):127-40.
doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-15-0305. Epub 2015 Oct 2.

Control of Proliferation and Cancer Growth by the Hippo Signaling Pathway

Ursula Ehmer  1 , Julien Sage  2
Affiliations
Review

Control of Proliferation and Cancer Growth by the Hippo Signaling Pathway

Ursula Ehmer et al. Mol Cancer Res. 2016 Feb.

Abstract

The control of cell division is essential for normal development and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Abnormal cell proliferation is associated with multiple pathological states, including cancer. Although the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway was initially thought to control organ size and growth, increasing evidence indicates that this pathway also plays a major role in the control of proliferation independent of organ size control. In particular, accumulating evidence indicates that the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway functionally interacts with multiple other cellular pathways and serves as a central node in the regulation of cell division, especially in cancer cells. Here, recent observations are highlighted that connect Hippo/YAP signaling to transcription, the basic cell-cycle machinery, and the control of cell division. Furthermore, the oncogenic and tumor-suppressive attributes of YAP/TAZ are reviewed, which emphasizes the relevance of the Hippo pathway in cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
An overview of the regulation of transcription by YAP/TAZ transcriptional co-factors and the regulation of YAP/TAZ activity in mammalian cells. YAP/TAZ are downstream mediators of numerous signaling pathways in cells, including from the cell surface. Their transcriptional targets have been involved in the regulation of proliferation and growth, but also cell death and differentiation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Oncogenic and tumor suppressive functions of YAP and TAZ in human cancer (86, 151, 162). See text for details.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Interconnections between the Hippo and RB/E2F pathways. (A) Common regulation of cell cycle genes by YAP/TAZ-TEAD and activating E2F transcription factors. (B) Negative regulation of cell cycle gene transcription by LATS1/2 through activation of the repressive DREAM complex. (C) Regulation of osteogenic differentiation by TAZ and RB through activation of RUNX2 transcription factors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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