YAP1 (yes-associated protein 1), also known as YAP or YAP65, is a protein that acts as a transcriptional regulator by activating the transcription of genes involved in cell proliferation and suppressing apoptotic genes. YAP1 is inhibited in the Hippo signaling pathway which allows the cellular control of organ size and tumor suppression. YAP1 was first identified by virtue of its ability to associate with the SH3 domain of Yes and Src protein tyrosine kinases.
YAP1 is a potent oncogene, which is amplified in various human cancers.
Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) (hereafter YAP/TAZ) are the downstream effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway. YAP/TAZ overexpression or activation is sufficient to induce tumor initiation and progression, as well as recurrence and therapeutic resistance. However, there is growing evidence that YAP/TAZ also exert a tumor-suppressive function in a context-dependent manner. Therefore, caution should be taken when targeting Hippo signaling in clinical trials in the future. In a review article, Luo et al will first give an overview of YAP/TAZ and their oncogenic roles in various cancers and then systematically summarize the tumor-suppressive functions of YAP/TAZ in different contexts. Based on these findings, they will further discuss the clinical implications of YAP/TAZ-based tumor targeted therapy and potential future directions 1)
see Astrocytic YAP.