SOX2-associated signaling pathways regulate biological phenotypes of cancers

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• SOX2 is a crucial transcription factor in embryonic development.
• Abnormal SOX2 expression is observed in various tumor tissues, correlating with clinical features like TNM staging, tumor grade, and patient prognosis.
• SOX2 primarily functions as a tumor promoter in most cancers by sustaining cancer stemness, influencing proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, ferroptosis, and drug resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and consolidate the diverse roles of SOX2 in cancer phenotypes.
• To elucidate the complex regulatory networks governing SOX2 function in tumorigenesis.
• To provide a foundation for exploring SOX2 modulation as a therapeutic strategy in clinical oncology.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating SOX2 expression and function in cancer.
• Analysis of SOX2's involvement in cancer stemness, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, ferroptosis, and drug resistance.
• Examination of SOX2's regulatory networks, including protein-protein, protein-nucleic acid interactions, signaling pathways, and noncoding RNAs.

Main Results:

• SOX2 predominantly acts as a tumor promoter in many cancer types, driving progression and metastasis via stemness maintenance.
• Conversely, SOX2 exhibits tumor-suppressive roles in specific cancers, such as gastric and lung cancer.
• SOX2's functions are mediated by intricate regulatory networks involving complex molecular interactions.

Conclusions:

• SOX2 plays a dual role in cancer, acting as either a tumor promoter or suppressor depending on the cancer type.
• Understanding SOX2's complex regulatory mechanisms and context-dependent functions is crucial.
• Targeting SOX2 expression presents a potential therapeutic avenue for cancer treatment.