MTSS1: a multifunctional protein and its role in cancer invasion and metastasis.

MTSS1 (metastasis suppressor-1) was first identified as a metastasis suppressor missing in metastatic bladder carcinoma cell lines. The down-regulation of MTSS1 that may be caused by DNA methylation was also observed in many other types of cancer. While accumlating evidence for the function of MTSS1 support the concept that it is unlikely to be a metastasis suppressor, but actually acts as a scaffold protein that interacts with multiple partners to regulate actin dynamics. It has also been demonstrated that MTSS1 is involved in the Shh signaling pathway in the developing hair follicle and in basal cell carcinomas of the skin. Such evidence indicates that MTSS1 as a multiple functional molecular player and has an important role in development, carcinogenesis and metastasis. However, the biochemical mechanisms by which MTSS1 functions in cells and the physiological role of this protein in animals remain largely unknown. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge of MTSS1's role in cancer metastasis, carcinogenesis, and development. The clinical significance of MTSS1 will also be discussed.