Table 1.

Physiological roles of Cytoskeletal-associated proteins and their functions in cancer cells

CAPs		Physiological Function	Neoplastic Function
MAPs	DCX	Promotes neural progenitor cells proliferation and formation of new-born neurons during adult neurogenesis [6]	Promotes glioma cells proliferation and invasiveness [37]
	Tau	Regulates cellular migration and axonal MT functions [32]	Regulates MTs and actin remodeling for glioblastoma migration [33]
	DAB1	Regulates cellular migration during neurogenesis [39]	Promotes colorectal cancer metastasis [41]
	TPPP/p25	Modulates MT dynamics and stability via tubulin acetylation and bundling [170]	Regulation of tumor growth via spindle orientation and tubulin acetylation [171–173]
	MAP4	Regulates MT dynamics via interactions with Septin [174]	Promotes cancer cell invasion via MAP4-ERK-Jun-VEGF signaling [175]
	DCLK	Regulates MT dynamics and structure, and mediates pro-metaphase to metaphase transition in a dynein-dependent manner during mitosis [176]	Regulates mitotic spindle and promotes proliferation. Silencing DCLK results in alteration of genes involved in oxidative stress and oxidative phosphorylation and induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells [177]
	Microtubule‐ Associated Tumor Suppressor Protein (MATSP)	Interacts with mitochondria membrane proteins to regulate mitochondria morphology [178]	Acts as tumor suppressor in cancer cells and interrupts cell division by prolonging metaphase [179, 180]
	Stathmin	Regulates global dynamics of interphase microtubules [181]	Instigates cellular resistance to paclitaxel-induced apoptosis [182]
ARPs	Gelsolin	Severs actin filament in a Ca(2 +)-dependent manner [183]	Mediates colorectal cancer invasion via the uPA/uPAR cascade modulation at metastatic sites [51]
	Tropomyosin	Controls access to myosin’s interaction with actin in a Ca(2 +)-dependent manner [184]	Regulates cellular migration, glucose uptake, and can mediate the ERK signaling in cancers [53]
	ARP2/3	Required for actin nucleation and crosslinks polymerizing actin filaments [185]	Downstream effector activated by mTORC1 to promote Akt/Rac1 signaling in PDAC [186]
	Formin-like Protein	Regulates cytokinesis, cell polarity, and morphogenesis [187]	Promotes cell proliferation by inhibiting P27 stability and nuclear translocation [188]
	DIAPH1	Crucial roles in thrombosis and vascular remodeling [189]	And inhibits apoptosis via ATR/p53/Caspase-3 Signaling [190]
	CAPZA	Binds to actin filaments in a Ca(2 +)-independent manner to prevent exchange of subunits at fast growing ends of actin [191]	Promotes EMT in HCC cells via F-actin remodeling [141]
	Nck‐associated protein 1	Involved in phagocytosis, lymphocyte development, and neutrophil migration [192]	Associates with heat shock protein and enhances MMP9 secretion for cancer cell migration [193]
	Abelson interactor 1	Promote WAVE2 membrane translocation and links Rac activation	Regulates cell proliferation via Ras small G-protein to alter cellular migration in an Rac-dependent manner [194]
IFAPs	Plakin	Provides anchorage sites for IFs. Involved in the differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes (also regarded as incomplete apoptosis) [195]	Mediates interaction with the extracellular matrix. Activates PKC and MAPK signaling in response to stress [71]
	Mrj	Confers stability to Keratin filaments as a chaperone with Hsp/c70 [77]	Confers tumor resistance to TNF-induced apoptosis [79]
	Spectraplakin	Provides organizational support and cytoskeletal integrity. Simultaneous cross-linking of actin and microtubules during axonal growth [196]	Suppresses tumor growth by restricting YAP activation [197]
	Trichohyalin-like 1	Promotes keratinocytes proliferation via ERK1/2) phosphorylation [198]	Promotes squamous cell carcinoma proliferation via the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, AKT, and STAT3 [198]