ABSTRACT
Notch-1 signaling pathway is responsible for cell differentiation, development, proliferation and apoptosis. Recent studies show that Notch-1 signaling pathway is also involved in cancer progression, including cell invasion, motility and cancer metastasis. Activation of Notch-1 signaling pathway can directly or indirectly induce cell proliferation and migration. In tumor cells, activation of Notch-1 facilitates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), keeps its mesenchyme characteristics and induces cell adhesion. Notch-1 signaling pathway also cross-talks with other pathways to regulate cell fate, such as PI3K/Akt, NF-κB pathways. The evidence shows that aberrant Notch-1 activation has been found in different solid tumors, which participates in regulating tumor metastasis. In this review, the Notch structure and function, Notch-1 signal and tumorigenesis, tumor metastasis via Notch-1 signaling, and Notch-1 signaling targeted-therapy were comprehensively summarized. To clarify the roles of Notch-1 signal pathway in tumor metastasis and its regulatory mechanisms as well as the current treatment strategies for Notch-1 signal pathway will provide references for studies on pathomechanism and clinical treatment of cancers.