Regulation and function of the TAZ transcription co-activator.

TAZ (WWTR1), identified as a 14-3-3 binding protein with a PDZ binding motif, is implicated in mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. TAZ has been shown to be negatively regulated by phosphorylation-dependent and phosphorylation-independent mechanisms. Coupled with ASPP2, PP1 dephosphorylates TAZ to activate TAZ. TEADs mediate TAZ function in promoting cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). TAZ senses different cellular signals such as cell density and the extracellular matrix stiffness. Significantly, TAZ is overexpressed in breast cancer samples and papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues. These results indicate that TAZ plays an important role in cancer development and presents a novel target for TAZ overexpressed cancer therapy.