Table 1 Summary of NOTCH receptors in gastrointestinal malignancies

NOTCH1

Gastric cancer

Oncogene

Activated NOTCH1 promotes cell proliferation, metastasis and inhibits cell apoptosis. NOTCH1 maintains the cancer stem-like properties in diffuse type gastric cancer through RBP-Jκ dependent pathway.

[48, 55–60]

Tumor suppressor

Increased NOTCH1 expression up-regulates PTEN.

[64]

Hepatocellular carcinoma

Oncogene

Activated NOTCH1 promotes cell invasion through the regulation of PTEN and FAK. Up-regulation of NOTCH1 increases Snail expression and functions as endothelial progenitor cells to initiate tumor vasculogenesis.

[80–82, 89–91]

Tumor suppressor

NOTCH1 induces degradation of the Snail protein and inhibits Snail-induced cell invasion. Through E2F transcription factors, Notch pathway activation forms a negative feedback loop to inhibit HCC proliferation.

[83, 84]

Colorectal cancer

Oncogene

Activated NOTCH1 represses p27 to promote cell cycle and proliferation. Moreover, it induces proliferation through the activation of cyclin D1 and Hes1 and increases the stemness related proteins expression.

[106, 109–111]

Tumor suppressor

NOTCH1 activation suppresses the expression of WNT-targeting genes.

[112]

Esophageal cancer

Oncogene

High NOTCH1 expression is associated with poor survival and promotes the growth of EAC cells. Also, it is involved in the maintenance of EAC cancer stem cells and increases the invasion and metastasis of ESCC cell line EC-9706.

[19, 125–127]

Tumor suppressor

Activated NOTCH1 inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis in ESCC.

[124]

Pancreatic cancer

Oncogene

Activated NOTCH1 promotes cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Furthermore, NOTCH1 overexpression inhibits apoptosis and leads to EMT phenotype.

[132, 134]

Tumor suppressor

NOTCH1 exerts tumor-suppressive function in a model of K-RAS-induced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

[135]

NOTCH2

Gastric cancer

Oncogene

NOTCH2 induces COX-2 expression to enhance gastric cancer progression. NOTCH2 and miR-23b interplay to form a reciprocal regulation loop in gastric carcinogenesis.

[65, 67]

Tumor suppressor

NOTCH2 suppresses cell invasion through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

[68]

Hepatocellular carcinoma

Oncogene

NOTCH2 signaling promotes the proliferation and tumor formation of HCC cells, and confers aggressive behavior and immature morphology in human HCC cells. NOTCH2 activation levels are consistent with clinical severity and prognosis of HCC patients.

[95–98]

Colorectal cancer

Tumor suppressor

NOTCH2 decreases tumor differentiation and predicts better survival.

[113–115]

Pancreatic cancer

Oncogene

NOTCH2 activates Myc signaling.

[136]

NOTCH3

Gastric cancer

Tumor suppressor

NOTCH3 contributes to glandular differentiation associated with MUC2 and MUC5AC expression.

[69]

Hepatocellular carcinoma

Oncogene

NOTCH3 expression enhances aggressive traits in HCC and plays a crucial role in HCC progression by interacting with β-catenin. NOTCH3 silences p53 in HCC.

[99, 100, 157]

Colorectal cancer

Oncogene

NOTCH3 promotes tumor growth, tumor proliferation and migration through up-regulating MSI-1 expression.

[116–119]

Esophageal cancer

Tumor suppressor

NOTCH3 contributes to esophageal cell fate decisions and inhibits TGF-β-mediated EMT through ZEBs.

[128]

Pancreatic cancer

Oncogene

NOTCH3 promotes cell proliferation and activates PI3K/AKT pathway.

[138]

NOTCH4

Gastric cancer

Oncogene

NOTCH4 promotes GC growth through the activation of Wnt1/β-catenin signaling.

[70]

Hepatocellular carcinoma

Oncogene

NOTCH4 overexpression might serve an independent prognostic factor of shorter disease specific survival.

[88, 102]