Yin Yang I as an Epimodulator of miRNAs in the Metastatic Cascade

Yin Yang 1 (YY1) belongs to the polycomb group (PcG) of proteins that modify chromatin epigenetically during dynamic regulation of their target genes. The predominant feature of YY1 is the zinc finger, an ancient structural motif that mediates protein-protein interactions and is capable of interacting with both DNA and RNA. Evidence reveals that YY1 acts predominantly as an epigenetic modulator, influencing the activity and/or localization of epigenetic modifiers molecules such as DNA methylation transferases, histone deacetylases, or non-coding RNAs. Deregulation of the epigenome is observed frequently in a variety of cancer types and is often correlated directly with advanced metastatic stages and poor prognosis. In this review, we address the current understanding of YY1 as a recruiter of epi-modifier molecules in the mechanism of aberrant regulation of target genes as a part of the metastatic cascade.