Abstract:
Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), one of the main effectors in the Hippo signaling pathway, is significantly correlated with high tumor grade, lymph node metastasis, advanced stage, and poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recently, several studies have shown that YAP1 can increase proliferation, invasiveness, and migration of NSCLC cells; promote self-renewal and angiogenic mimicry of cancer stem cells; and decrease sensitivity to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Moreover, the relationship between YAP1 and PD-L1 revealed the important role of YAP1 in immunotherapy against NSCLC. Further, preclinical studies reported roles of verteporfin, one drug targeting YAP1, such as inhibition of NSCLC cell proliferation, reduction in cancer stem cell activity, and restoration of treatment sensitivity. This review summarizes the above advancements, discussing the importance and necessity of target therapy against YAP1 in NSCLC.