OVOL2 inhibits macrophage M2 polarization by regulating IL-10 transcription, and thus inhibits the tumor metastasis by modulating the tumor microenvironment.

Invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells is an important cause of death in breast cancer patients. In the tumor microenvironment, M2 polarization of macrophages can promote the invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. OVOL2 is an evolutionarily conserved transcription regulator, but its effect in macrophages has not been described previously.

pH-Sensitive Black Phosphorous-Incorporated Hydrogel as Novel Implant for Cancer Treatment.

In this study, black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) were incorporated into a hydrogel formed from dibenzaldehyde-functionalized polymer (DF-PEG) and polyaspartylhydrazide (PAHy) polymer to create an injectable and pH-sensitive DF-PEG-PAHy/BPNSs hydrogel, which can be used as a smart depot for synergistic chemo-photothermal cancer therapy. The DF-PEG-PAHy/BPNSs hydrogel exhibited excellent gelation characteristics, pH sensitivity, and near-infrared responsiveness. The nanocomposite hydrogel provided controlled drug release and near-infrared irradiation speeded up release of drug from the hydrogel because of the photothermal effect of the BPNSs.

OVOL2 antagonizes TGF-β signaling to regulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition during mammary tumor metastasis.

Great progress has been achieved in the study of the role of TGF-β signaling in triggering epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a variety of cancers; however, the regulation of TGF-β signaling during EMT in mammary tumor metastasis has not been completely defined. In the present study, we demonstrated that OVOL2, a zinc finger transcription factor, inhibits TGF-β signaling-induced EMT in mouse and human mammary tumor cells, as well as in mouse tumor models. Data from the Oncomine databases indicated a strong negative relationship between OVOL2 expression and breast cancer progression.

Ovol2 gene inhibits the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in lung adenocarcinoma by transcriptionally repressing Twist1.

Background: Associated with recent achievements in therapy for advanced lung adenocarcinoma, there will still be an unmet medical need for effective treatment of stage IIIb/IV, and the prognosis of lung cancer is not optimistic till now.

Objective: In order to obtain some essential evidences for a potential targeted therapy in lung adenocarcinoma, the effects of Ovol2 gene on Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) was observed and the probable mechanisms were analyzed.

Methods: Ovol2 expression was previously evaluated by immunochemistry in lung adenocarcinoma tissue, and Ovol2 was overexpressed by lentivirus infection in A549 cells.

OVOL2, an Inhibitor of WNT Signaling, Reduces Invasive Activities of Human and Mouse Cancer Cells and Is Down-regulated in Human Colorectal Tumors.

Background & Aims: Activation of WNT signaling promotes the invasive activities of several types of cancer cells, but it is not clear if it regulates the same processes in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, or what mechanisms are involved. We studied the expression and function of OVOL2, a member of the Ovo family of conserved zinc-finger transcription factors regulated by the WNT signaling pathway, in intestinal tumors of mice and human beings.

Methods: We analyzed the expression of OVOL2 protein and messenger RNA in CRC cell lines and tissue arrays, as well as CRC samples from patients who underwent surgery at Xiamen University in China from 2009 to 2012; clinical information also was collected.