Regulatory mechanisms of heme regulatory protein BACH1: a potential therapeutic target for cancer

Med Oncol. 2021 Sep 4;38(10):122. doi: 10.1007/s12032-021-01573-z.

Abstract

A limited number of overexpressed transcription factors are associated with cancer progression in many types of cancer. BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) is the first mammalian heme-binding transcription factor that belongs to the basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) family and a member of CNC (cap 'n' collar). It forms heterodimers with the small musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma (MAF) proteins and stimulates or suppresses the expression of target genes under a very low intracellular heme concentration. It possesses a significant regulatory role in heme homeostasis, oxidative stress, cell cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and cancer metastasis progression. This review discusses the current knowledge about how BACH1 regulates cancer metastasis in various types of cancer and other carcinogenic associated factors such as oxidative stress, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Overall, from the reported studies and outcomes, it could be realized that BACH1 is a potential pharmacological target for discovering new therapeutic anticancer drugs.

Keywords: BACH1; Cancer; Metastasis; Transcription factor; sMAF.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Cell Cycle
  • Heme
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic
  • Oxidative Stress

Substances

  • BACH1 protein, human
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Heme
  • HMOX1 protein, human
  • Heme Oxygenase-1