The Merlin/NF2 Tumor Suppressor Functions through the YAP Oncoprotein to Regulate Tissue Homeostasis in Mammals

Nailing Zhang, Haibo Bai, Karen K. David, Jixin Dong, Yonggang Zheng, Jing Cai, Marco Giovannini, Pentao Liu, Robert A. Anders, Duojia Pan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

624 Scopus citations

Abstract

The conserved Hippo signaling pathway regulates organ size in Drosophila and mammals. While a core kinase cascade leading from the protein kinase Hippo (Hpo) (Mst1 and Mst2 in mammals) to the transcription coactivator Yorkie (Yki) (YAP in mammals) has been established, upstream regulators of the Hippo kinase cascade are less well defined, especially in mammals. Using conditional knockout mice, we demonstrate that the Merlin/NF2 tumor suppressor and the YAP oncoprotein function antagonistically to regulate liver development. While inactivation of Yap led to loss of hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells, inactivation of Nf2 led to hepatocellular carcinoma and bile duct hamartoma. Strikingly, the Nf2-deficient phenotypes in multiple tissues were largely suppressed by heterozygous deletion of Yap, suggesting that YAP is a major effector of Merlin/NF2 in growth regulation. Our studies link Merlin/NF2 to mammalian Hippo signaling and implicate YAP activation as a mediator of pathologies relevant to Neurofibromatosis 2.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)27-38
Number of pages12
JournalDevelopmental cell
Volume19
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2010

Keywords

  • Devbio
  • Humdisease

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology

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