KIBRA connects Hippo signaling and cancer

The Hippo signaling pathway is a tumor suppressor pathway that plays an important role in tissue homeostasis and organ size control. KIBRA is one of the many upstream regulators of the Hippo pathway. It functions as a tumor suppressor by positively regulating the core Hippo kinase cascade. However, there are accumulating shreds of evidence showing that KIBRA has an oncogenic function, which we speculate may arise from its functions away from the Hippo pathway. In this review, we have attempted to provide an overview of the Hippo signaling with a special emphasis on evidence showing the paradoxical role of KIBRA in cancer.

Automated summary

The Hippo signaling pathway is crucial in tissue homeostasis and organ size control, with KIBRA being an upstream regulator that can act as a tumor suppressor by positively regulating the pathway. However, evidence suggests that KIBRA may also have oncogenic functions, potentially due to its activities outside of the Hippo pathway. This review highlights the paradoxical role of KIBRA in cancer and provides new insights for cancer research.