Fam107a, Family with sequence similarity 107 member A, has emerged as a significant gene. It is thought to function as a tumor suppressor in various malignancies, affecting processes like tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) [1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9]. In addition, it may be involved in regulating fat browning in adipocytes, adipogenesis, and lipid metabolism [7].

Multiple studies across different cancer types have shown its reduced expression in tumors. For instance, in esophageal squamous carcinoma, its low expression was linked to a poorer prognosis, and overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and the EMT process [1]. In bladder cancer, its down-regulation was associated with high tumor grade, and restoring its expression suppressed cell growth, migration, and invasion [2]. In prostate cancer, hypermethylation of CpG islands led to Fam107a down-regulation, and overexpression inhibited tumor cell behaviors through the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway [3]. Pan-cancer analysis indicated its down-regulated expression was related to poor survival, and in vitro experiments showed that knockdown promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of bladder and renal cancer cells [4].

In conclusion, Fam107a is mainly recognized as a tumor suppressor, influencing tumor-related biological processes in various cancers. The findings from these functional studies, including those from in vitro cell-based experiments, provide insights into its role in disease. Understanding Fam107a's functions may offer potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for cancers and other related metabolic disorders [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9].

References:

1. Zhang, Jiale, Di, Shouyin, Li, Mingyang, Jia, Qingge, Fan, Boshi. 2023. FAM107A as a tumor suppressor in esophageal squamous carcinoma inhibits growth and metastasis. In Pathology, research and practice, 252, 154945. doi:10.1016/j.prp.2023.154945. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37977035/

2. Ou, Longhua, Wei, Zhengmao, Xu, Jinming, Wang, Yan, Shi, Bentao. . FAM107A as a Tumor Suppressor in Bladder Cancer Inhibits Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion. In Annals of clinical and laboratory science, 52, 260-268. doi:. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35414505/

3. Ke, Shuai, Liu, Zelin, Wang, Qinghua, Yu, Xi, Guo, Jia. 2022. FAM107A Inactivation Associated with Promoter Methylation Affects Prostate Cancer Progression through the FAK/PI3K/AKT Pathway. In Cancers, 14, . doi:10.3390/cancers14163915. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36010909/

4. Ou, Dehua, Zhang, Zhiqin, Wu, Zesong, She, Sifan, Lin, Ming-En. 2022. Identification of the Putative Tumor Suppressor Characteristics of FAM107A via Pan-Cancer Analysis. In Frontiers in oncology, 12, 861281. doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.861281. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35669436/

5. Ma, Yun-Fei, Li, Guang-Da, Sun, Xu, Yu, Ming-Wei, Wang, Xiao-Min. 2021. Identification of FAM107A as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for prostate carcinoma. In American journal of translational research, 13, 10163-10177. doi:. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34650688/

6. Ming, Fei, Zhang, DaiPing. 2025. FAM107A Inhibits the Growth, Invasion and Aerobic Glycolysis of LUAD Cells by Regulating CRYAB/PI3K/AKT. In Biochemical genetics, , . doi:10.1007/s10528-024-11006-x. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39751722/

7. Manigandan, Subramani, Mukherjee, Sulagna, Yun, Jong Won. 2021. Loss of family with sequence similarity 107, member A (FAM107A) induces browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 704, 108885. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2021.108885. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33878327/

8. Pastuszak-Lewandoska, D, Czarnecka, K H, Migdalska-Sęk, M, Górski, P, Brzeziańska-Lasota, E. . Decreased FAM107A Expression in Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. In Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 852, 39-48. doi:10.1007/5584_2014_109. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25753555/

9. Kiwerska, Katarzyna, Szaumkessel, Marcin, Paczkowska, Julia, Marszałek, Andrzej, Giefing, Maciej. 2017. Combined deletion and DNA methylation result in silencing of FAM107A gene in laryngeal tumors. In Scientific reports, 7, 5386. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05857-1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28710449/