Recent advances in the role of atypical cadherin FAT1 in tumorigenesis (Review)

The FAT atypical cadherin 1 (FAT1) gene is the ortholog of the Drosophila fat gene and encodes the protocadherin FAT1. FAT1 belongs to the cadherin superfamily, a group of full-length membrane proteins that contain cadherin-like repeats. In various types of human cancer, FAT1 is one of the most commonly mutated genes, and is considered to be an emerging cancer biomarker and a potential target for novel therapies. However, the biological functions of FAT1 and the precise downstream signaling pathways that it mediates have remained to be fully elucidated. The present review discussed the current literature on FAT1, focusing on FAT1 mutations and expression levels, and their impact on signaling pathways and mechanisms in various types of cancer, including both solid tumors and hematological malignancies, such as esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, glioma, breast cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. The present review aimed to provide further insights and research directions for future studies on FAT1 as an oncogenic factor or tumor suppressor.