The role of the orphan nuclear receptor COUP-TFII in tumorigenesis

The chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factors (COUP-TFs), members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, consist of two highly homologous subtypes, COUP-TFI (EAR-3, NR2F1) and COUP-TFII (ARP-1, NR2F2). They are referred to as orphan receptors because the COUP-TF ligands have yet to be identified. Since the discovery of COUP-TFs in 1986, extensive studies have demonstrated their crucial functions in a variety of developmental processes, such as organogenesis, angiogenesis, and metabolic homeostasis. Recently, emerging evidence has highlighted that COUP-TFs, specifically COUP-TFII, play important roles in tumorigenesis. In this review, we will discuss the critical functions of COUP-TFII in the development of the tumor microenvironment, the progression of various cancers, and its underlying mechanisms.