The Expanding Role of Sp1 in Pancreatic Cancer: Tumorigenic and Clinical Perspectives

It is increasingly being recognized that in gastrointestinal malignancies, including pancreatic cancer, transcription factors get activated and alter the gene expression in the tumor cells to metastasize and develop. Pancreatic cancer is associated with a relatively very poor prognosis and survival outcomes. Currently, there are significant barriers to effective therapeutic interventions for this disease; hence timely diagnosis and clinical decision-making leading to appropriate treatment strategies for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer are essential. This chapter summarizes some of the selected peer-reviewed translational and clinical research findings in the area of a transcription factor [specificity protein 1 (Sp1)] as it relates to the tumorigenesis and mechanistic role(s) for the potential of improving therapeutic targets/responses in pancreatic cancer. Particular emphasis has been given on the mechanistic roles of Sp1 in the cell cycle, metastasis (cellular adhesion, invasion, migration, angiogenesis), and apoptosis. Based on the available information and several ongoing clinical studies, it is implicated that Sp1 can well serve as an important prognostic marker for pancreatic tumor. Several drugs targeting Sp1 for pancreatic tumor therapy have also been studied and discussed in this chapter. These drugs work by downregulating the expression and activity of Sp1 in tumor cells in pancreatic cancer. Taken together, these molecular and cellular mechanisms/targets can have a very significant impact on the prognosis and overall quality-of-life and clinical outcomes for patients with pancreatic tumor.