Ji-Yeon Lee and Myoung Hee Kim* Pages 5084 - 5097 ( 14 )
HOX genes belong to the highly conserved homeobox superfamily, responsible for the regulation of various cellular processes that control cell homeostasis, from embryogenesis to carcinogenesis. The abnormal expression of HOX genes is observed in various cancers, including breast cancer, where they act as oncogenes or as suppressors of cancer, according to context. In this review, we analyze HOX gene expression patterns in breast cancer and examine their relationship, based on the three-dimensional genome structure of the HOX locus. The presence of non-coding RNAs embedded within the HOX cluster and the role of these molecules in breast cancer, have been reviewed. We further evaluate the characteristic activity of HOX protein in breast cancer and its therapeutic potential.
HOX gene, HOX cluster, non-coding RNA, genomic organization, 3D structure, HOX protein, breast cancer.
Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul