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Updated: Jun 28, 2025

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Activating transcription factor 4: a regulator of stress response in human cancers

Di Wu1, Jie Liang1

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|April 11, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) regulates cellular stress responses and metabolism. This review explores ATF4's role in cancer, identifying potential therapeutic targets for improved patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is a key regulator of cellular adaptation to stress.
  • ATF4 influences metabolic and oxidative homeostasis, amino acid metabolism, autophagy, and endoplasmic reticulum stress.
  • Dysregulation of ATF4 is implicated in various cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the diverse functions of ATF4.
  • To review ATF4's role in the initiation and progression of multiple cancer types.
  • To propose potential therapeutic targets for clinical intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of ATF4 functions and cancer associations.
  • Analysis of ATF4's regulatory roles in cellular homeostasis.
  • Synthesis of current research on ATF4 in oncology.

Main Results:

  • ATF4 activation promotes cell survival under stress.
  • ATF4 is significantly associated with glioblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer.
  • ATF4's multifaceted roles in cancer progression are highlighted.

Conclusions:

  • ATF4 is a critical mediator of cellular adaptive responses.
  • Targeting ATF4 presents a promising strategy for cancer therapy.
  • Further research into ATF4 pathways could yield novel clinical interventions.
Keywords:
autophagycancermetabolismstresstranscription

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