Roles of UBEs in digestive tract tumor cells. UBEs regulate cell cycle, apoptosis, EMT and autophagy protein expression, modulating the processes of tumor cell cycle, apoptosis, EMT and autophagy, and promoting the progression of digestive system cancers. In addition, UBEs may contribute to tumor-cell resistance to certain drugs and regulate the progression of digestive system tumors. UBEs may also promote the malignant progression of digestive system cancers by participating in tumor cell signaling pathways. UBE, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme; EMT, epithelial to mesenchymal transition; M, mitosis; CDK, cyclin-dependent kinase; LC3A, microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 α; HIF, hypoxia-inducible factor; VHL, von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor.