Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Role of TMOD3 in Platinum Resistance and Immune Infiltration in Ovarian Cancer
Published on: August 2, 2024
MTA3 Represses Cancer Stemness by Targeting the SOX2OT/SOX2 Axis
Liang Du1, Lu Wang2, Jinfeng Gan3
1Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China; Institute of Precision Cancer Medicine and Pathology, Department of Pathology, Jinan University Medical College, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China; Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Cell Biology and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9700 AD, the Netherlands.
MTA3 suppresses cancer cell stemness and metastasis in esophageal cancer. The MTA3/SOX2OT/SOX2 pathway is crucial for cancer progression and may offer new therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Cancer cell stemness (CCS) is vital for tumor growth and spread.
- SOX2 is known to be important in cancer, but MTA3's role is unclear.
- Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) serves as a model to investigate these mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of MTA3 in cancer cell stemness and metastasis.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which MTA3 affects these processes.
- To evaluate the prognostic significance of MTA3 and SOX2 in ESCC.
Main Methods:
- In vitro and in vivo experiments using ESCC models.
- Analysis of the MTA3/GATA3 complex formation.
- Assessment of SOX2OT and SOX2 expression levels.
- Correlation analysis between MTA3/SOX2 expression and patient prognosis.
Main Results:
- MTA3 was found to repress both CCS and metastasis in ESCC.
- MTA3 forms a complex with GATA3, downregulating SOX2OT and suppressing the SOX2OT/SOX2 axis.
- Low MTA3 and high SOX2 expression (MTA3low/SOX2high) correlated with poor prognosis and served as an independent prognostic factor.
Conclusions:
- The MTA3/SOX2OT/SOX2 axis is essential for maintaining CCS.
- This axis represents a potential target for cancer therapy and stratification.
Related Concept Videos
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Abnormal Proliferation
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Somatic...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming

