Ten years of research on the role of BVES/ POPDC1 in human disease: a review

Since the blood vessel epicardial substance or Popeye domain-containing protein 1 (BVES/POPDC1) was first identified in the developing heart by two independent laboratories in 1999, an increasing number of studies have investigated the structure, function, and related diseases of BVES/POPDC1. During the first 10 years following the discovery of BVES/POPDC1, studies focused mainly on its structure, expression patterns, and functions. Based on these studies, further investigations conducted over the previous decade examined the role of BVES/POPDC1 in human diseases, such as colitis, heart diseases, and human cancers. This review provides an overview of the structure and expression of BVES/POPDC1, mainly focusing on its potential role and mechanism through which it is involved in human cancers.