The Role of Transcription Factor YY1 in the Biology of Cancer.

The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a ubiquitously expressed protein involved in several biological functions, including embryogenesis, differentiation, replication, and cellular proliferation. YY1 can both activate and repress transcription depending on its interactions with other transcription factors and co-factors. It affects the transcription of a large number of mammalian and viral genes. In this review, we focus on the role of YY1 in cancer biology, including its expression, function, regulation by other upstream factors, and some of its more significant downstream effectors. We also discuss its context-dependent and tumor-specific role in human cancer progression, roles as a prognostic marker, and how its interactions with other cancer-associated factors can be exploited to develop novel targeted therapies.