HOXB13, a potential prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer

HOXB13, a member of the homeobox proteins family, is a key regulator of the epithelial differentiation in the prostate gland. HOXB13 is overexpressed during malignant progression of the prostatic tissue and suspected to contribute in the pathogenesis of the prostate gland. In androgen deprived conditions, HOXB13 is thought to act through inhibition of the tumour suppressor protein p21. Since HOXB13 has a multifaceted role in ventral prostate development, its critical partners in the cascade need to be elucidated for a further understanding of its role in prostate malignancy. In this report, we review the functions attributed to HOXB13, by highlighting the most recent findings supporting the hypothesis that HOXB13 might serve as a novel biomarker for the prognosis of prostate cancer.