New Insights into the Roles of Yes-Associated Protein (YAP1) in Colorectal Cancer Development and Progression

Abstract

Yes-associated protein (YAP1), the downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, plays important roles in the regulation of tissue reconstruction,<br />stem cell proliferation, and development of different cancers. The regulation of YAP1 phosphorylation, YAP1 expression<br />level, and its cellular localization have been considered in cancer development. There are different experimental evidences that<br />indicate that YAP1 activation results in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis. YAP1 is a transcription co-activator, and<br />its dysregulation has been suggested in various cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). The localization of YAP1 in the nucleus<br />results in YAP1 interactions with different transcription factors to promote the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation,<br />metastasis, and stem cell maintenance. However, a number of studies have been reported the tumor suppressor role of YAP1 in CRC.<br />Therefore, a better understanding of the YAP1 regulation could be helpful for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of CRC. In this<br />review, we will discuss different roles of YAP1 in CRC progression through the regulatory roles of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs),<br />microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (CircRNAs) in YAP1 regulation.