# Novel Insights into TSC22D Family Genes in Metabolic Diseases and Cancer

## TL;DR

This review explores how TSC22D family genes influence metabolism and cancer, highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets.

## Contribution

The paper provides new insights into the dual role of TSC22D genes in cancer and their metabolic regulatory functions.

## Key findings

- TSC22D3 controls lipid accumulation through adipogenesis and adipose differentiation.
- TSC22D4 regulates insulin sensitivity and gluconeogenesis via Akt phosphorylation.
- TSC22D genes act as a double-edged sword in cancer, depending on tumor type and microenvironment.

## Abstract

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)-stimulated clone 22 domain (TSC22D) family genes (including TSC22D1-TSC22D4) were identified as transcription factors. It has been demonstrated that they display multiple functions due to proteins’ isoforms, redundancy, and other factors. Formerly, researchers mainly focused on its functions, like controlling cell growth and development, cell apoptosis, and balance of osmotic pressure in vivo. Nowadays, growing evidence indicates that they also play an important role in metabolic regulation and the immune system and are expected to be a new potential target for the treatment of diabetes or obesity. Despite this, it has been shown that TSC22D family genes have an inhibitory effect in multiple tumors. In this review, we significantly synthesized advances in metabolism, showing that TSC22D3 could control lipid accumulation via modulating adipogenesis and adipose differentiation, while TSC22D4 could regulate insulin sensitivity and gluconeogenesis by affecting Akt (serine/threonine kinase, also known as protein kinase B, or PKB) phosphorylation. Moreover, we provide novel insights, including the fact that TSC22D family genes function as a double-edged sword in cancer due to the type of tumor and tumor microenvironment (TME).