Mucin expression, epigenetic regulation and patient survival: A toolkit of prognostic biomarkers in epithelial cancers

Twenty mucin genes have been identified and classified in two groups (encoding secreted membrane-bound proteins). Secreted mucins participate mucus formation by assembling a 3-dimensional network via oligomerization, whereas are anchored to the outer membrane mediating extracellular interactions cell signaling. Both associated with carcinogenesis progression epithelial cancers, therefore considered as potential therapeutic targets. In present review, we discuss link between expression patterns patient survival propose prognosis biomarkers of cancers (esophagus, gastric, pancreatic, colorectal, lung, breast or ovarian cancers). We also investigate relationship overall TCGA dataset. particular, epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression, such aberrant DNA methylation histone modification, interesting they diagnosis significance. Indeed, hypomethylation has shown be was linked colon cancer pancreatic patients. Finally describe non-coding RNAs that may serve biomarkers. Altogether concomitant knowledge specific mucin-pattern regulation could translated better specificity/sensitivity performance several cancers.