Transcriptional and Post-Translational Control Mechanisms for EphB4 Expression in Physiology and Cancer Disease

EphB4 is a membrane tyrosine kinase receptor involved in a number of physiologic and pathologic conditions, cancer being the one drawing the highest attention. In mammalians, EphB4 regulates blood vessel growth and differentiation. EphB4 also mediates a number of cancer promoting effects including angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Its effects have been linked to both EphrinB2-dependent and to EphrinB2-independent mechanisms. In spite of its emerging role in physiology and disease, the regulation of EphB4 cellular expression has been poorly described until recently. The present mini-review summarizes the latest findings on EphB4 regulation at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level and discusses the biologic implications of such novel findings. Perspective on the scenarios opened by such findings and the open questions in EphB4 research is also provided.