Periostin, also known as osteoblast-specific factor 2, is a cell-adhesion protein with pleiotropic properties. The protein serves a vital role in the maintenance and development of tooth and bone tissue, in addition to cardiac development and healing. Periostin levels are increased in several forms of cancer, including pancreatic, ovarian, colon, lung, breast, gastric, thyroid, and esophageal head and neck carcinomas. The present review highlights the key role of periostin in tumorigenesis, particularly in increasing cell survival, invasion, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis of carcinoma cells by interacting with numerous cell-surface receptors, including integrins, in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt pathway. In addition, periostin actively affects the canonical Wnt signaling pathway of colorectal tumorigenesis. The current review focused on the involvement of periostin in the development of colorectal, esophageal and gastric cancer.
Keywords: cancer of alimentary tract; periostin; signaling pathways; therapy.