Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Combined Use of Tail Vein Metastasis Assays and Real-Time In Vivo Imaging to Quantify Breast Cancer Metastatic Colonization and Burden in the Lungs
10:32

Combined Use of Tail Vein Metastasis Assays and Real-Time In Vivo Imaging to Quantify Breast Cancer Metastatic Colonization and Burden in the Lungs

Published on: December 19, 2019

11.0K

YAP/TAZ as master regulators in cancer: modulation, function and therapeutic approaches

Stefano Piccolo1,2, Tito Panciera3, Paolo Contessotto3

  • 1Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy. piccolo@bio.unipd.it.

Nature Cancer
|December 23, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Transcriptional regulators YAP/TAZ (Yes-associated protein/T-and-B-cell lymphoma) drive cancer progression and are key therapeutic targets. This review updates YAP/TAZ biology, Hippo signaling, and clinical trials for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • The transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ) play crucial roles in cellular processes.
  • Aberrant YAP/TAZ signaling is implicated in the development and progression of various cancers.
  • Understanding YAP/TAZ biology is essential for developing targeted cancer therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an updated review of recent advancements in YAP/TAZ biology.
  • To elucidate the regulation of YAP/TAZ by the Hippo signaling pathway and mechanotransduction.
  • To highlight open questions and therapeutic strategies targeting YAP/TAZ in cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on YAP/TAZ signaling in cancer.
  • Analysis of the interplay between Hippo signaling, mechanotransduction, and YAP/TAZ.
  • Overview of current and emerging therapeutic strategies and clinical trials targeting YAP/TAZ.

Main Results:

  • YAP/TAZ signaling is a common vulnerability across multiple tumor types and their microenvironments.
  • YAP/TAZ activation confers malignant attributes, contributing to tumor growth and metastasis.
  • The Hippo pathway and mechanical cues are key regulators of YAP/TAZ activity.

Conclusions:

  • YAP/TAZ signaling represents a significant vulnerability in cancer, offering a broad therapeutic window.
  • Targeting YAP/TAZ is a promising strategy for novel cancer treatments.
  • Further research is needed to address open questions and optimize YAP/TAZ-targeted therapies.

More Related Videos

Identification of Transcription Factor Regulators using Medium-Throughput Screening of Arrayed Libraries and a Dual-Luciferase-Based Reporter11:32

Identification of Transcription Factor Regulators using Medium-Throughput Screening of Arrayed Libraries and a Dual-Luciferase-Based Reporter

Published on: March 27, 2020

7.0K
All-optical Mechanobiology Interrogation of Yes-associated Protein in Human Cancer and Normal Cells using a Multi-functional System09:55

All-optical Mechanobiology Interrogation of Yes-associated Protein in Human Cancer and Normal Cells using a Multi-functional System

Published on: December 20, 2021

3.0K

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.8K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.6K
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
6.6K
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
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...
7.7K
Master Transcription Regulators02:23

Master Transcription Regulators

Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a  complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
7.0K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
5.0K