YAP/TAZ-associated cell signaling – at the crossroads of cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders
Date
2025-01-28
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
Abstract
YAP/TAZ (Yes-associated protein/paralog transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding domain) are transcriptional cofactors that are the key and major downstream effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway. Both are known to play a crucial role in defining cellular outcomes, including cell differentiation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Aside from the canonical Hippo signaling cascade with the key components MST1/2 (mammalian STE20-like kinase 1/2), SAV1 (Salvador homologue 1), MOB1A/B (Mps one binder kinase activator 1A/B) and LATS1/2 (large tumor suppressor kinase 1/2) upstream of YAP/TAZ, YAP/TAZ activation is also influenced by numerous other signaling pathways. Such non-canonical regulation of YAP/TAZ includes well-known growth factor signaling pathways such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ErbB family, Notch, and Wnt signaling as well as cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix interactions and mechanical cues from a cell’s microenvironment. This puts YAP/TAZ at the center of a complex signaling network capable of regulating developmental processes and tissue regeneration. On the other hand, dysregulation of YAP/TAZ signaling has been implicated in numerous diseases including various cancers and neurodevelopmental disorders. Indeed, in recent years, parallels between cancer development and neurodevelopmental disorders have become apparent with YAP/TAZ signaling being one of these pathways. This review discusses the role of YAP/TAZ in brain development, cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders with a special focus on the interconnection in the role of YAP/TAZ in these different conditions.
Description
This article was originally published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology by Frontiers Media. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2025.1522705.
© 2025 Ajongbolo and Langhans. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Keywords
hippo, brain, cancer, neurodevelopmental disorder, microenvironment, YAP/TAZ signaling
Citation
Ajongbolo AO and Langhans SA (2025) YAP/TAZ-associated cell signaling – at the crossroads of cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 13:1522705. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1522705