Elaborating the physiological role of YAP as a glucose metabolism regulator: A systematic review

Abstract

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is one of the Hippo pathway’s two effectors, a pathway associated with organ size control. Research on YAP has focused on its oncogenic potential. However, in cancer cells, aside from inducing growth, YAP was also found to regulate glucose metabolism. The present review explores YAP’s control of glucose metabolism and whether these findings are translatable to physiological conditions. According to current literature, YAP induces the transcriptional activity of most genes associated with glucose metabolism from enzymes to transport proteins. In glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, YAP upregulates all enzymes except for enolase and pyruvate kinase. Multiple research has also shown YAP’s ability to regulate the expression of glucose transporter of the GLUT family. Additionally, glucose concentration, hypoxia, and hormones such as insulin and glucagon regulate YAP activity and depend on YAP to exert their biological activity. YAP is thus a central regulator of glucose metabolism, controlling both enzymes and proteins involved in glucose transport. YAP is also situated strategically in several pathways controlling glucose and was found to mediate their effects. If these results were consistent in physiological conditions and across glucose-associated metabolic disturbances, then YAP may become a prospective therapeutic target.