We have summarized common and differential functions of HMGB1 and HMGB2 proteins with reference to pathological processes, with a special focus on cancer. Currently, several “omic” approaches help us compare the relative expression of these 2 proteins in healthy and cancerous human specimens, as well as in a wide range of cancer-derived cell lines, or in fetal versus adult cells. Molecules that interfere with HMGB1 functions, though through different mechanisms, have been extensively tested as therapeutic agents in animal models in recent years, and their effects are summarized. The review concludes with a discussion on the perspectives of HMGB molecules as targets in prostate and ovarian cancers.

我们已经参考病理过程总结了HMGB1和HMGB2蛋白的共同和差异功能，特别关注癌症。当前，几种“组学”方法可帮助我们比较这两种蛋白质在健康和癌变的人类标本中以及在各种癌症衍生的细胞系中或在胎儿与成年细胞中的相对表达。尽管通过不同的机制，干扰HMGB1功能的分子已在动物模型中作为治疗剂进行了广泛测试，并对其作用进行了总结。审查结束时讨论了HMGB分子作为前列腺癌和卵巢癌靶标的观点。