Emerging Roles of GLI-Similar Krüppel-like Zinc Finger Transcription Factors in Leukemia and Other Cancers

Abstract

GLI-similar 1-3 (GLIS1-3), a subfamily of Krüppel-like zinc finger transcription factors, function as key regulators of several biological processes important to oncogenesis, including control of cell proliferation, differentiation, self-renewal, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This review provides a short overview of the critical roles genetic changes in GLIS1-3 play in the development of several malignancies. This includes intrachromosomal translocations involving GLIS2 and ETO2/CBFA2T3 in the development of pediatric non-Down's syndrome (DS), acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), a malignancy with poor prognosis, and an association of interchromosomal translocations between GLIS3, GLIS1, and PAX8, and between GLIS3 and CLPTM1L with hyalinizing trabecular tumors (HTTs) and fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FHCC), respectively. Targeting upstream signaling pathways that regulate GLIS signaling may offer new therapeutic strategies in the management of cancer.

Keywords: GLIS Krüppel-like zinc finger proteins; chromosomal translocation; leukemogenesis; oncogenesis; transcription.