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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Tetraspanins, a superfamily of small integral membrane proteins, are characterized by four transmembrane domains and conserved protein motifs that are configured into a unique molecular topology and structure in the plasma membrane. They act as key organizers of the plasma membrane, orchestrating the formation of specialized microdomains called “tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs)” or “tetraspanin nanodomains” that are essential for mediating diverse biological processes. TSPAN8 is one of the earliest identified tetraspanin members. It is known to interact with a wide range of molecular partners in different cellular contexts and regulate diverse molecular and cellular events at the plasma membrane, including cell adhesion, migration, invasion, signal transduction, and exosome biogenesis. The functions of cell-surface TSPAN8 are governed by ER targeting, modifications at the Golgi apparatus and dynamic trafficking. Intriguingly, limited evidence shows that TSPAN8 can translocate to the nucleus to act as a transcriptional regulator. The transcription of TSPAN8 is tightly regulated and restricted to defined cell lineages, where it can serve as a molecular marker of stem/progenitor cells in certain normal tissues as well as tumors. Importantly, the oncogenic roles of TSPAN8 in tumor development and cancer metastasis have gained prominence in recent decades. Here, we comprehensively review the current knowledge on the molecular characteristics and regulatory mechanisms defining TSPAN8 functions, and discuss the potential and significance of TSPAN8 as a biomarker and therapeutic target across various epithelial cancers.

Details

Title
Molecular Regulation and Oncogenic Functions of TSPAN8
Author
Yang, Jicheng 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Zhang, Ziyan 2 ; Joanne Shi Woon Lam 3 ; Fan, Hao 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Nai Yang Fu 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore; ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia 
 ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia 
 Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore 
 Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore; ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117593, Singapore 
First page
193
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20734409
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2918567073
Copyright
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.