Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
Biol Chem. 2011 Aug;392(8-9):725-38. doi: 10.1515/BC.2011.073. Epub 2011 Jul 11.
Septins are a family of cytoskeleton related proteins consisting of 14 members that associate and interact with actin and tubulin. From yeast to humans, septins maintain a conserved role in cytokinesis and they are also involved in a variety of other cellular functions including chromosome segregation, DNA repair, migration and apoptosis. Tumorigenesis entails major alterations in these processes. A substantial body of literature reveals that septins are overexpressed, downregulated or generate chimeric proteins with MLL in a plethora of solid tumors and in hematological malignancies. Thus, members of this gene family are emerging as key players in tumorigenesis. The analysis of septins during cancer initiation and progression is challenged by the presence of many family members and by their potential to produce numerous isoforms. However, the development and application of advanced technologies is allowing for a more detailed analysis of septins during tumorigenesis. Specifically, such applications have led to the establishment and validation of SEPT9 as a biomarker for the early detection of colorectal cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the role of septins in tumorigenesis, emphasizing their significance and supporting their use as potential biomarkers in various cancer types.
七聚体是一类细胞骨架相关蛋白家族，由 14 个成员组成，这些成员与肌动蛋白和微管蛋白结合并相互作用。从酵母到人，七聚体在胞质分裂中保持保守作用，它们还参与多种其他细胞功能，包括染色体分离、DNA 修复、迁移和细胞凋亡。肿瘤发生需要对这些过程进行重大改变。大量文献表明，在许多实体瘤和血液恶性肿瘤中，七聚体过度表达、下调或与 MLL 产生嵌合蛋白。因此，该基因家族的成员正在成为肿瘤发生的关键参与者。在癌症发生和进展过程中分析七聚体受到许多家族成员的存在以及它们产生众多同工型的潜力的挑战。然而，先进技术的发展和应用正在允许在肿瘤发生过程中对七聚体进行更详细的分析。具体来说，这些应用导致了 SEPT9 的建立和验证，作为结直肠癌早期检测的生物标志物。这篇综述总结了七聚体在肿瘤发生中的作用的现有知识，强调了它们的意义，并支持将它们用作各种癌症类型的潜在生物标志物。
