Targeting the Hippo/YAP/TAZ Signalling Pathway: Novel Opportunities for Therapeutic Interventions into Skin Cancers

The document discusses the role of the Hippo/YAP/TAZ signalling pathway in skin cancers, including melanoma and non-melanoma types. The proteins YAP and TAZ are key drivers of tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis in these cancers, making them potential therapeutic targets. The Hippo pathway, a major tumor suppressor pathway, is also crucial in skin homeostasis and hair follicle growth. Depletion of Yap and Taz in adult mice led to progressive hair loss, while their knockout significantly impaired epidermal tissue repair. YAP/TAZ are overexpressed in many types of skin cancers, and their targeting could offer potential opportunities for cancer therapy. Several compounds that could potentially inhibit YAP/TAZ activity are mentioned, including dasatinib, CA3, statins, pazopanip, and PI3K-AKT inhibitors. The document concludes that more human cell/tissue-focused studies are needed to answer open questions and complement studies done in mice and other animal model systems.