Nkx2-1: a novel tumor biomarker of lung cancer

Nkx2-1 (Nkx homeobox-1 gene), also known as TTF-1 (thyroid transcription factor-1), is a tissue-specific transcription factor of the thyroid, lung, and ventral forebrain. While it has been shown to play a critical role in lung development and lung cancer differentiation and morphogenesis, molecular mechanisms mediating Nkx2-1 cell- and tissue-specific expression in normal and cancerous lungs have yet to be fully elucidated. The recent identification of prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer, particularly in lung adenocarcinoma (ADC), and the different reactivity of patients to chemotherapeutic drugs have opened new avenues for evaluating patient survival and the development of novel effective therapeutic strategies. The function of Nkx2-1 as a proto-oncogene was recently characterized and the gene is implicated as a contributory factor in lung cancer development. In this review, we summarize the role of this transcription factor in the development, diagnosis, and prognosis of lung cancer in the hope of providing insights into the utility of Nkx2-1 as a novel biomarker of lung cancer.