Emerging Insights into Wnt/β-catenin Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer:

摘要: Head and neck cancer presents primarily as head squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a debilitating malignancy fraught with high morbidity, poor survival rates, limited treatment options. Mounting evidence indicates that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays important roles in pathobiology of HNSCC. affects multiple cellular processes endow cells ability to maintain expand immature stem-like phenotypes, proliferate, extend survival, acquire aggressive characteristics by adopting mesenchymal traits. A central component canonical Wnt is β-catenin, which balances its role structural E-cadherin junctions function transcriptional coactivator numerous target genes. Recent genomic characterization revealed while β-catenin not frequently mutated HNSCC, activity unchecked more common mutations genes encoding upstream regulators NOTCH1, FAT1, AJUBA. wide range epigenetic activities, mediated interaction different transcription factors coactivators corepressors. Furthermore, functions network many metabolic pathways modulate activity. In addition effects on tumor epithelia, regulates microenvironment regulating extracellular matrix remodeling, fibrotic processes, immune response. These multifunctional oncogenic make it an attractive bona fide for HNSCC therapy.