Epithelial membrane protein 1 in human cancer: a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target

Epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) is a member of the small hydrophobic membrane protein subfamily. EMP1 is aberrantly expressed in various tumor tissues and governs multiple cellular behaviors (e.g., proliferation, differentiation, and migration). The resultant regulation of the cancer pathway is responsible for the metastasis of cancer cells and determines the risk of malignant tumor progression. This review provides an updated overview of EMP1 as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor contingent on the cancer type and summarizes its upstream regulators and downstream target genes. This systematic review summarizes our current understanding of the role of EMP1 in malignant tumor development, including critical functional mechanisms and implications for its potential use as the biomarker and therapeutic target.