MUC1: a multifaceted oncoprotein with a key role in cancer progression

•MUC1 promotes growth, metastasis, and resistance to drugs in cancer.•In tumors, the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 acts as an oncogenic signaling molecule.•MUC1 regulates gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.•MUC1 is critical for maintaining ‘stemness’ in embryonic and cancer stem cells.

The transmembrane glycoprotein Mucin 1 (MUC1) is aberrantly glycosylated and overexpressed in a variety of epithelial cancers, and plays a crucial role in progression of the disease. Tumor-associated MUC1 differs from the MUC1 expressed in normal cells with regard to its biochemical features, cellular distribution, and function. In cancer cells, MUC1 participates in intracellular signal transduction pathways and regulates the expression of its target genes at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. This review highlights the structural and functional differences that exist between normal and tumor-associated MUC1. We also discuss the recent advances made in the use of MUC1 as a biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer.