IMR Press / FBL / Volume 13 / Issue 11 / DOI: 10.2741/3006

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article

Grappling with the HOX network in hematopoiesis and leukemia

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1 Haematology, Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

 

Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2008, 13(11), 4297–4308; https://doi.org/10.2741/3006
Published: 1 May 2008
Abstract

The mammalian HOX gene network encodes a family of proteins which act as master regulators of developmental processes such as embryogenesis and hematopoiesis. The complex arrangement, regulation and co-factor association of HOX has been an area of intense research, particularly in cancer biology, for over a decade. The concept of redeployment of embryonic regulators in the neoplastic arena has received support from many quarters. Observations of altered HOX gene expression in various solid tumours and leukemia appear to support the thesis that 'oncology recapitulates ontogeny' but the identification of critical HOX subsets and their functional role in cancer onset and maintenance requires further investigation. The application of novel techniques and model systems will continue to enhance our understanding of the HOX network in the years to come. Better understanding of the intricacy of the complex as well as identification of functional pathways and direct targets of the encoded proteins will permit harnessing of this family of genes for clinical application.

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