Table 3 Functional roles of Mafs pathway in cancer

Large Mafs

c-Maf

Multiple myeloma (MM)

c-Maf subgroup of MM is characterized by high proliferative index and is associated with cyclin D2 overexpression

[111]

Stabilized by USP7 and USP5 and exerts anti-apoptosis effect on myeloma cells

[11, 112]

Influences MM invasion process through regulating CXCL12 and ARK5

[113, 114]

Increases the interaction between tumor cells and stroma by increasing the expression of integrin β7 in MM

[115]

Induces VEGF expression and promotes marrow neo-angiogenesis

[116]

Lung cancer

Berbamine inhibited the migration and invasion abilities of non-small-cell lung cancer cells by downregulating c-Maf

[5]

Facilitates tumor-associated macrophages polarization and promotes angiogenesis in NSCLC

[117]

Breast cancer

Promotes breast cancer bone metastasis and may act as a biomarker of bone relapse

[118]

MafA

MM

Stabilized by deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 and suppresses myeloma cell apoptosis

[11]

MafB

Colorectal cancer

Promotes colorectal cancer cell proliferation via regulating cell cycle and is correlated with advanced TNM stage

[103]

Liver cancer

Promotes HCC proliferation through enhancing Cyclin D1

[119]

Osteosarcoma

Drives cancer stemness in osteosarcoma. High MafB expression is strongly correlated with poor prognosis

[120]

Ovarian cancer

Promotes the proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells and reduces olaparib/cisplatin sensitivity

[121]

NRL

Medulloblastoma

Protects cells from apoptosis and mediates cell cycle progression

[122]

Small Mafs

MafG

Colorectal cancer

Differentially expressed between highly metastatic colorectal cancer and nonmetastatic colorectal cancer

[123]

Enhances proliferation by heterodimerizing with Bach1 and recruiting CHD8 and DNMT3B

[124]

Liver cancer

Promotes proliferation through heterodimerizing with Nrf2 or interacting with c-Myc and c-Maf

[56, 125]

Lung cancer

Accelerates cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma

[71]

MafK

Breast cancer

Induces EMT and promotes tumor invasion in vivo

[126]

MafF

Liver cancer

Drives liver tumor-initiating cells metastasis and antagonizes the retinoid-mediated suppression of HCC invasion

[79, 127]

Breast cancer

Promotes tumor invasion through heterodimerizing with Bach1 and activating IL11/STAT3 pathway

[128]