Zeng XF, Wang YW, Ou Y, Liu L. Role of myosin heavy chain 9 in gastrointestinal tumorigenesis: A comprehensive review. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(6): 106617 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i6.106617]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xue-Fan Zeng, Chongqing Medical University, No. 21 Middle University Town Road Chongqing, Chongqing 400016, China. zxfcqmu@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jun 15, 2025; 17(6): 106617 Published online Jun 15, 2025. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i6.106617
Role of myosin heavy chain 9 in gastrointestinal tumorigenesis: A comprehensive review
Xue-Fan Zeng, Yi-Wei Wang, Yao Ou, Ling Liu
Xue-Fan Zeng, Yao Ou, Ling Liu, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
Yi-Wei Wang, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
Co-first authors: Xue-Fan Zeng and Yi-Wei Wang.
Author contributions: Zeng XF and Wang YW contributed equally to this manuscript as co-first authors. Zeng XF and Liu L contributed to conception and design of this study; Zeng XF, Wang YW, and Ou Y participated in manuscript drafting. All the authors reviewed and critically revised the manuscript, and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Xue-Fan Zeng, Chongqing Medical University, No. 21 Middle University Town Road Chongqing, Chongqing 400016, China. zxfcqmu@163.com
Received: March 3, 2025 Revised: March 28, 2025 Accepted: May 6, 2025 Published online: June 15, 2025 Processing time: 103 Days and 2.7 Hours
Abstract
Myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9), a non-muscle myosin heavy chain protein, has been identified as a significant factor in gastrointestinal (GI) oncology, with its overexpression in various GI malignancies such as esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers being associated with poor prognosis and playing a role in tumor invasion and metastasis. This comprehensive review synthesizes the current body of knowledge regarding MYH9’s role in GI tumors, focusing on its molecular mechanisms, including its interaction with key signaling pathways like the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin axis, which suggests a role in cancer cell survival, proliferation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The review also explores MYH9’s potential as a therapeutic target, with preclinical models demonstrating promising results in inhibiting tumor growth and enhancing chemosensitivity. The evidence suggests that MYH9 is a multifaceted protein with significant implications in GI tumor biology, warranting further research to elucidate its mechanisms of action and develop targeted therapies that could improve patient outcomes.
Core Tip: This review delves into the multifaceted role of myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) in gastrointestinal tumors. MYH9 is highly expressed in esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers, and is closely associated with tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and chemoresistance. It also promotes tumor progression by regulating signaling pathways such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin axis. Moreover, MYH9 shows potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, offering new directions for improving patient outcomes.
