Fusion oncogenes and tumor type specificity: insights from salivary gland tumors

摘要: Salivary gland tumors are frequently characterized by recurrent chromosome translocations, which have recently been shown to result in pathogenetically relevant fusion oncogenes. These genes encode novel proteins as well ectopically expressed normal or truncated proteins, and found both benign malignant salivary tumors. The major targets of the translocations DNA-binding transcription factors (PLAG1 HMGA2) involved growth factor signaling cell cycle regulation, coactivators Notch (MAML2) cAMP (TORC1) pathways. Identification these oncogenes has contributed our knowledge molecular pathways leading epithelial general, particular. Interestingly, fusions do not seem be tumor type specific those leukemias sarcomas. Instead, they may function activating basic transformation that can multiple types. downstream gene products will important for development new intracellular therapeutic strategies.