Role of annexin A6 in cancer (Review)

Annexin A6 (AnxA6) is a member of a conserved superfamily of Ca2+-dependent membrane-binding annexin proteins. It participates in membrane and cytoskeleton organization, cholesterol homeostasis, membrane trafficking, cell adhesion and signal transduction. The expression levels of AnxA6 are closely associated with melanoma, cervical cancer, epithelial carcinoma, breast cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, large-cell lymphoma and myeloma. AnxA6 exhibits dual functions in cancer, acting either as a tumor suppressor or promoter, depending on the type of cancer and the degree of malignancy. In several types of cancer, AnxA6 acts via Ras, Ras/MAPK and/or FAK/PI3K signaling pathways by mainly mediating PKC alpha, p120GAP, Bcr-Abl and YY1. In the present review, the roles of AnxA6 in different types of cancer are summarized.