TABLE 1.
Yin Yang 1–Activated Genes and Promoters
| Gene/Promoter | Function of the Gene Product | Mechanism/Observation | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Oncogenic, proliferative and/or overexpressed genes in cancer | |||
| B23/nucleophosmin | Regulates nucleosome formation and inhibits tumor suppressors | Hepatitis C virus core, p300, and B23 itself are involved | 24,25 |
| c-Myc | Transcription factor and oncogene of various cancers | E1A converts YY1 from a repressor to an activator; p300 and HDAC3 also are involved | 14,186 |
| HER2/ERBB2/neu | Proto-oncogene in breast cancer | YY1 enhances AP-2 transcriptional activity on the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 promoter | 30,31 |
| Cyclooxygenase-2 | Oncogene of various cancers | A model with YY1 recruiting p300 and HDAC1,2 was proposed | 38 |
| c-Fos | Proto-oncogene | E1A converts YY1 from a repressor to an activator in this regulation | 187 |
| Glucose regulating protein 78/binding immunoglobulin protein | Promotes tumor proliferation, survival, metastasis, and resistance to cancer therapies | p300 and protein arginine methyltransferase 1 are recruited | 34–36,188 |
| OTX2 | Oncogene of medulloblastoma | Acetylated YY1, but not the unmodified, can bind the enhancer | 39,189 |
| Snail | Enhances cell survival, movement and/ or EMT | YY1 binds a distal Snail 3′ enhancer | 40,42 |
| Msx2 | EMT and tumorigenesis | Three YY1 binding sites are involved | 43,190 |
| Mitochondrial genes: Cyto C, etc. | Cell respiration | Mammalian target of rapamycin regulates YY1-PGC-1α-mediated transcription | 60 |
| DR-α | Overexpressed in cancers | YY1 directly binds to the promoter | 191,192 |
| VASAP-60/PRKCSH/80K-H | Elevated in breast cancer | Two YY1-binding sites are involved. | 193 |
| TGF-β | Overexpressed in tumor; promotes invasiveness and metastasis | A polymorphism mutation in the TGF-β promoter creates a binding site of YY1 that activates TGF-β gene | 194,195 |
| B. Tumor suppression genes | |||
| Breast cancer 1 (BRCA1) | Tumor suppressor in breast cancer | YY1 directly binds to the promoter | 57 |
| ERGIC-53 | Transmembrane lectin facilitates the efficient export of a subset of secretory glycoproteins from the ER; induced by ER-stress | Activating transcription factor 6α-YY1 may associate to coactivate ERGIC-53 gene | 121 |
| HLJ1 | Tumor and invasion suppressor | AP-1 and p300 may be involved | 55,196 |
| p53 | Tumor suppressor | E1A and p300 can induce p53 expression further | 53 |
| p73 | A member of p53 family proteins | YY1 and E2F1 cooperate p73 transcription | 54 |
| Peg3 (via conserved sequence binding element 2) | Imprinted gene with tumor suppression function | CTCF is involved in this regulation | 197 |
| RIZ1 | A histone methyltransferase; altered expression in cancers; a potential tumor suppressor | Correlated with reduced H3-K9 dimethylation | 198 |
| C. Other regulatory proteins in tumorigenesis | |||
| α-SMA | Regulates pulmonary fibrosis that is associated with lung cancer | TGF-β modulates this regulation by inducing YY1 expression | 147 |
| EGFR | Cell signaling molecules involved in diverse cellular functions, including cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, and survival, and in tissue development | Sp1 and YY1 synergistically induce the epidermal growth factor receptor promoter; p53 suppresses this activation | 199 |
| GDAP1 | Broadly expressed in various cancer cell lines | YY1 directly binds to the promoter | 44 |
| Histone H2a and H3 | Aberrantly modified in cancers | Regulated by cell cycle | 58 |
| Histone H4 | Aberrantly modified in cancers | Multiple YY1 binding sites are involved | 59 |
| Heterochromatin protein 1α (HP1α) | Reduced in invasive breast cancer cells | Two YY1 binding sites are involved | 200 |
| Line-1 (promoter) | Altered methylation in cancers | YY1 determines the correct transcription of the full-length retrotransposed product | 136,201–203 |
| MCP-2 | Mediate inflammatory response | YY1 is an intermediate step of interleukin-15-regulated MCP-2 expression | 204 |
| M-opioid receptor | Cancer-related pain | Sp1 is involved | 148 |
| Myelin proteolipid protein | Primary constituent of myelin in the central nervous system | YY1 directly binds to the promoter | 205 |
| OTK18 | Induced by human immunodeficiency virus infection | YY1 directly binds to the promoter | 206 |
| OX40 | A therapeutic target in the treatment of autoimmunity and cancer | Sp1, Sp3, and nuclear factor κB are involved in this regulation | 207,208 |
| Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP) | Promotes poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation; related to DNA damage repair | YY1 directly binds the promoter | 209 |
| Proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) | Involved in DNA synthesis and repair; cooperating with nucleophosmin/B23 | B23 is involved; accompanied by histone H4 deacetylation | 27,210 |
| RE-1 silencing transcription factor or neuron-restrictive silencer factor | Shows both tumor suppressor and oncogenic activities | YY1 directly binds to the promoter | 211,212 |
| gp91(phox) | Catalytic subunit of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase; potential target of cancer therapy | Multiple YY1-interacting sites are detected | 213,214 |
| B-type natriuretic peptide | Related to patients’ response to cancer therapy | HDAC2 is recruited | 215 |
| Transferrin receptor (CD71) | Related to poor prognosis and resistant to tamoxifen in breast cancer | YY1 directly binds to the promoter | 216 |
ADP, adenosine diphosphate; AP, activator protein; EMT, epithelial-mesenchymal transition; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; HDAC, histone deacetylase; MCP, monocyte chemotactic protein; TGF, transforming growth factor; YY1, Yin Yang 1.