The
transcription factor Friend
leukemia virus integration 1 (Fli-1) belonging to the E26 Transformation-Specific (
ETS) transcription factor family is not only expressed in normal cells such as hematopoietic stem cells and vascular endothelial cells, but also abnormally expressed in various malignant
tumors including
Ewing sarcoma, Merkel cell
sarcoma, small cell lung
carcinoma, benign or malignant
hemangioma,
squamous cell carcinoma,
adenocarcinoma,
bladder cancer,
leukemia, and
lymphoma. Fli-1 binds to the promoter or enhancer of the target genes and participates in a variety of physiological and
pathological processes of
tumor cells, including cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The expression of Fli-1 gene is related to the specific
biological functions and characteristics of the tissue in which it is located. In
tumor research, Fli-1 gene is used as a specific marker for the occurrence,
metastasis, efficacy, and prognosis of
tumors, thus, a potential new target for
tumor diagnosis and treatment. These studies indicated that Fli-1 may be a specific candidate for
antitumor drug development. Recent studies identified small molecules regulating Fli-1 thanks to our screened strategy of natural products and their derivatives. Therefore, in this review, the advanced research on Fli-1 as a target for
antitumor drug development is analyzed in different
cancers. The inhibitors and agonists of Fli-1 that regulate its expression are introduced and their clinical applications in the treatment of
cancer, thus providing new therapeutic strategies.