The Emerging Role of TRAF7 in Tumor Development

• Published in: Journal of cellular physiology Vol. 232; no. 6; pp. 1233 - 1238
• Main Authors: Zotti, Tiziana, Scudiero, Ivan, Vito, Pasquale, Stilo, Romania
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2017; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Adaptive immunity; Animals; Biological activity; Carcinogenesis - metabolism; Carcinogenesis - pathology; Embryogenesis; Embryonic growth stage; Homeostasis; Humans; Immune response; Intracellular signalling; Kinases; Literature reviews; Mini‐Review; Mini‐Reviews; Models, Biological; Mutation - genetics; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neoplasms - pathology; NF-κB protein; Protein Domains; Proteins; Receptors; Transcription factors; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins - chemistry; Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins - genetics; Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins - metabolism; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor suppressor genes
• ISSN: 0021-9541; 1097-4652; 1097-4652
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25676

The seven members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNF‐R)‐associated factor (TRAF) family of intracellular proteins were originally discovered and characterized as signaling adaptor molecules coupled to the cytoplasmic regions of receptors of the TNF‐R superfamily. Functionally, TRAFs act both as a scaffold and/or enzymatic proteins to regulate activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and transcription factors of nuclear factor‐κB family (NF‐κB). Given the wide variety of stimuli intracellularly conveyed by TRAF proteins, they are physiologically involved in multiple biological processes, including embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. In the last few years, it has become increasingly evident the involvement of TRAF7, the last member of the TRAF family to be discovered, in the genesis and progression of several human cancers, placing TRAF7 in the spotlight as a novel tumor suppressor protein. In this paper, we review and discuss the literature recently produced on this subject. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 1233–1238, 2017. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. TRAF proteins are signaling adaptor molecules that regulate activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and transcription factors of nuclear factor‐κB family (NF‐κB). In this paper, we review and discuss the literature recently produced pointing to an involvement of TRAF7 in the genesis and progression of several human cancers.