YAP And TAZ Are Essential For Basal And Squamous Cell Carcinoma Initiation

The document from June 6, 2018, details a study that found YAP and TAZ, key components of the Hippo pathway, to be essential for the initiation of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The study showed that these proteins are highly expressed and localized in the nucleus in human and mouse models of these skin cancers. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis confirmed the enrichment of YAP gene signatures in BCC and SCC. The study's knockout mouse models, which had YAP and TAZ deleted, did not develop BCC, indicating the necessity of these proteins for tumor formation. Additionally, in mouse models with activated oncogenic Kras and Tp53 deletion, the absence of YAP and TAZ prevented the development of SCC, with no tumors observed over 15 weeks post-tamoxifen administration. Immunostaining and TUNEL assays suggested that YAP and TAZ are required for the survival of oncogene-expressing cells. The study, which involved 6 animals per genotype, concludes that targeting YAP and TAZ could be a promising strategy for skin cancer treatment and prevention.