HOX genes belong to the highly conserved homeobox superfamily, responsible for the regulation of various cellular processes that control cell homeostasis, from embryogenesis to carcinogenesis. The abnormal expression of HOX genes is observed in various cancers, including breast cancer, where they act as oncogenes or as suppressors of cancer, according to context. In this review, we analyze HOX gene expression patterns in breast cancer and examine their relationship, based on the three-dimensional genome structure of the HOX locus. The presence of non-coding RNAs embedded within the HOX cluster and the role of these molecules in breast cancer, have been reviewed. We further evaluate the characteristic activity of HOX protein in breast cancer and its therapeutic potential.

HOX 基因属于高度保守的同源盒超家族，负责调节控制细胞稳态的各种细胞过程，从胚胎发生到致癌作用。根据上下文，在包括乳腺癌在内的各种癌症中观察到 HOX 基因的异常表达，在这些癌症中，它们充当致癌基因或抑制癌症。在这篇综述中，我们基于 HOX 基因座的三维基因组结构分析了乳腺癌中 HOX 基因的表达模式并检查了它们之间的关系。已经审查了嵌入 HOX 簇中的非编码 RNA 的存在以及这些分子在乳腺癌中的作用。我们进一步评估了 HOX 蛋白在乳腺癌中的特征活性及其治疗潜力。