Dual role of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in tumor progression / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a ubiquitous non-histone protein in the nuclear chromatin of eukaryotic cells, plays an important role in inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancer. The function of HMGB1 in the development and progression of tumor varies with its subcellular localization. On one hand, HMGB1 promotes the growth, proliferation, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells, and mediates immune escape and immune tolerance; on the other hand, HMGB1 possesses anti-tumor activity by maintaining the stability of genome, regulating the expression of tumor suppressor genes, inhibiting cell invasion and metastasis and improving the anti-tumor therapeutic effect. In recent years, increasing evidences have suggested that HMGB1 is closely associated with the development of tumor. Therefore, understanding the function of HMGB1 in cancer will provide enlightenment for preventive and therapeutic strategies. This review summarized the dual role of HMGB1 in tumor progression.