Tspan protein family: focusing on the occurrence, progression, and treatment of cancer

• Published in: Cell death discovery Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 187
• Main Authors: Zhang, Huhu, Song, Qinghang, Shang, Kaiwen, Li, Ya, Jiang, Liangqian, Yang, Lina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 22.04.2024; Springer Nature B.V; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/67/1059; 631/67/2327; 631/67/395; Amino acids; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bladder cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell adhesion molecules; Cell Biology; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle Analysis; Cell growth; Cell migration; Cell proliferation; Growth factors; Immunosuppressive agents; Integrins; Leukemia; Life Sciences; Liver cancer; Lymphocytes T; miRNA; Motility; Phosphorylation; Physiology; Proteins; Review; Review Article; Signal transduction; Stem Cells; T cell receptors; Thrombosis; Tumorigenesis; Tumors
• ISSN: 2058-7716; 2058-7716
• DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01961-0

The Tetraspanins (Tspan) protein family, also known as the tetraspanin family, contains 33 family members that interact with other protein molecules such as integrins, adhesion molecules, and T cell receptors by forming dimers or heterodimers. The Tspan protein family regulates cell proliferation, cell cycle, invasion, migration, apoptosis, autophagy, tissue differentiation, and immune response. More and more studies have shown that Tspan proteins are involved in tumorigenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, thrombosis, tumor stem cell, and exosome signaling. Some drugs and microRNAs can inhibit Tspan proteins, thus providing new strategies for tumor therapy. An in-depth understanding of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of the Tspan protein family, which can promote or inhibit tumor development, will provide new strategies for targeted interventions in the future.