SNAIL1: Linking Tumor Metastasis to Immune Evasion

Xiaolong Tang; Xue Sui; Liang Weng; Yongshuo Liu

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.724200

SNAIL1: Linking Tumor Metastasis to Immune Evasion

Front Immunol. 2021 Nov 30:12:724200. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.724200. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Xiaolong Tang¹, Xue Sui¹, Liang Weng^{2

3

4

5

6

7}, Yongshuo Liu^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, China.
² Department of Oncology, Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
⁴ Hunan International Science and Technology Collaboration Base of Precision Medicine for Cancer, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
⁵ Hunan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
⁶ Institute of Gerontological Cancer Research, National Clinical Research Center for Gerontology, Changsha, China.
⁷ Center for Molecular Imaging of Central South University, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, China.
⁸ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China.
⁹ Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University Genome Editing Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Abstract

The transcription factor Snail1, a key inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), plays a critical role in tumor metastasis. Its stability is strictly controlled by multiple intracellular signal transduction pathways and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Increasing evidence indicates that methylation and acetylation of Snail1 also affects tumor metastasis. More importantly, Snail1 is involved in tumor immunosuppression by inducing chemokines and immunosuppressive cells into the tumor microenvironment (TME). In addition, some immune checkpoints potentiate Snail1 expression, such as programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and T cell immunoglobulin 3 (TIM-3). This mini review highlights the pathways and molecules involved in maintenance of Snail1 level and the significance of Snail1 in tumor immune evasion. Due to the crucial role of EMT in tumor metastasis and tumor immunosuppression, comprehensive understanding of Snail1 function may contribute to the development of novel therapeutics for cancer.

Keywords: EMT; Snail1; acetylation; methylation; signaling pathway; tumor immunity; ubiquitination.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / immunology
Humans
Neoplasm Invasiveness / pathology*
Snail Family Transcription Factors / immunology*
Tumor Escape / immunology*
Tumor Microenvironment / immunology

Substances

SNAI1 protein, human
Snail Family Transcription Factors