Impact of homeobox genes in gastrointestinal cancer

Table 1 Aberrant expression of HOX and non-HOX genes in esophageal cancer

Homeobox gene	Change	Underlying mechanism	Ref.
BE/EAC
CDX2	↑ in BE/EAC	Concomitant decrease of PITX1	[12,13]
	No difference between BE and EAC	Association with β-catenin
HOXB5, B6, B7	↑ in BE/dysplasia/EAC	Induction of intestinal markers such as KRT20, Muc2 and villin	[15]
ESCC
CDX2	↓ in a ESCC cell line and tissues	Promoter hypermethylation	[18]
MEIS	↓ in ESCC, inversely related with nodal status and high tumor stage	Concomitant increase of SOX2	[24]
HOXA7, A9, C6	↑ in ESCC	Not presented	[16]
HOXA5, A10, B13, C6, C10, C13, D3	↑ in BE/EAC, highest in T2 stage	Not presented	[17]
HOXA13	↑ in ESCC, associated with OS and DFS	Targeting annexinA2, MnSOD, ERAB	[19-21]
HOXB7	↑ in ESCC, associated with T/N stage and DFS	Not presented	[23]

BE: Barrett’s esophagus; EAC: Esophageal adenocarcinoma; ESCC: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; MnSOD: Manganese superoxide dismutase; OS: Overall survival; DFS: Disease free survival.