Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36982239›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences2023

Specificity Proteins (Sp) and Cancer.

Stephen Safe

Open access · goldFull text readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of molecular sciences, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed
6.5field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 42 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. DifferentialScience advances · 2026
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Function ofOncology letters · 2025
    Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Review
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.

Stephen SafeDepartment of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2115-3060
Texas A&M University · US

Funding

Texas A&M Center for Environmental Health Research (TiCER)P30ES029067 · NIEHS · TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY · PI Natalie M Johnson · 2019 to 2026
$13.0M
NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES029067NIH HHS P30-ES029067
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors (TFs) Sp1, Sp2, Sp3 and Sp4 exhibit structural and functional similarities in cancer cells and extensive studies of Sp1 show that it is a negative prognostic factor for patients with multiple tumor types. In this review, the role of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 in the development of cancer and their regulation of pro-oncogenic factors and pathways is reviewed. In addition, interactions with non-coding RNAs and the development of agents that target Sp transcription factors are also discussed. Studies on normal cell transformation into cancer cell lines show that this transformation process is accompanied by increased levels of Sp1 in most cell models, and in the transformation of muscle cells into rhabdomyosarcoma, both Sp1 and Sp3, but not Sp4, are increased. The pro-oncogenic functions of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 in cancer cell lines were studied in knockdown studies where silencing of each individual Sp TF decreased cancer growth, invasion and induced apoptosis. Silencing of an individual Sp TF was not compensated for by the other two and it was concluded that Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 are examples of non-oncogene addicted genes. This conclusion was strengthened by the results of Sp TF interactions with non-coding microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs where Sp1 contributed to pro-oncogenic functions of Sp/non-coding RNAs. There are now many examples of anticancer agents and pharmaceuticals that induce downregulation/degradation of Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4, yet clinical applications of drugs specifically targeting Sp TFs are not being used. The application of agents targeting Sp TFs in combination therapies should be considered for their potential to enhance treatment efficacy and decrease toxic side effects.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsMicroRNAsRhabdomyosarcomaGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansSp1 Transcription FactorSp3 Transcription FactorSp Transcription FactorsAntineoplastic AgentsMicroRNAsSp1 Transcription FactorSp3 Transcription FactorSp Transcription Factorsnon-oncogene addictionprognosticpro-oncogenicSp1Sp3Sp4

Identifiers

PMID36982239
PMCPMC10048989
OpenAlexW4323568226

What Socratic holds

Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
measurements read22
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.