Non-muscle myosins in tumor progression, cancer cell invasion, and metastasis

Abstract

The actin cytoskeleton, which regulates cell polarity, adhesion, and migration, can influence cancer progression, including initial acquisition of malignant properties by normal cells, invasion of adjacent tissues, and metastasis to distant sites. Actin-dependent molecular motors, myosins, play key roles in regulating tumor progression and metastasis. In this review, we examine how non-muscle myosins regulate neoplastic transformation and cancer cell migration and invasion. Members of the myosin superfamily can act as either enhancers or suppressors of tumor progression. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on how mutations or epigenetic changes in myosin genes and changes in myosin expression may affect tumor progression and patient outcomes and discusses the proposed mechanisms linking myosin inactivation or upregulation to malignant phenotype, cancer cell migration, and metastasis.