The role and regulation of Maf proteins in cancer

Biomarker Research

Table 1 The physiological functions of Mafs

Subgroup	Mafs	Organ and/or cell type	Biological effect	Downstream	Cooperative factors	Reference
Large Mafs	c-Maf	Lens fiber cell	Lens formation and differentiation	Crystalline genes, cyclin D1	Prox-1, Pax6, CREB, SOX1, SOX2	[34, 35]
		LSECs, Foetal liver macrophages	embryological development of liver cells, LSECs specialization, immune tolerance	F4/80	MEIS2, GATA4	[36, 37]
		Kidney, proximal tubule cells, podocytes	functional differentiation	GPx3	Unknown	[37]
		T cell	T cell activation and differentiation	IL-4, IL-10	NFAT, CARMA1, IKKβ	[38]
		Pancreatic endocrine cells	α-cell differentiation, glucagon biosynthesis	Glucagon genes	Pax6	[39]
		Endochondral bone	Chondrocyte differentiation	Col2a1	SOX9	[40]
	MafA	Pancreatic β-cells	Insulin transcription and secretion	Insulin genes	PDX1, Neurog3	[41]
	MafB	Hindbrain	Segment formation in the hindbrain	Hoxa3, Hoxb3	KROX20	[27]
		Myeloid progenitors	Macrophage differentiation	Unknown	Unknown	[42]
		Kidney, podocytes	Formation of podocytes	Unknown	Unknown	[42]
	NRL	Retina	Differentiation of rod photoreceptors	Rho	CRX	[43]
Small Mafs	MafG	Hematopoietic system	Megakaryocyte differentiation, platelet release	Bach2, Notch1	MafK	[44, 45]
		Nervous system	Neurodevelopment	Unknown	Unknown	[44]
		Lens fiber cells	Lens formation	Aldh3a1, Crygf, Hspb1, Pcbd1	MafK	[46]
		Embryo	Embryo development	Unknown	MafF, MafK	[32]
	MafK	Hematopoietic system	megakaryocyte differentiation	Unknown	MafG	[47]
	MafK	Nervous system	Neurodevelopment	Unknown	MafG	[48]
	MafF	Hematopoietic system	Regulating oxidative stress	Unknown	MafG	[49]

LSECs Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, Rho Rhodopsin, Col2a1 Collagen type II ⍺1

ISSN: 2050-7771