Through these multiple, complex, and often incompletely understood actions, the FET family proteins regulate the cellular expression of diverse genes.
The EWSR1-FLI1 fusion gene encodes an EWS-FLI1 chimeric protein which possesses unregulated and excessive FLI1 transcription factor activity which it appears to contribute to the development of Ewing sarcomas.
[10] FET fusion genes have attracted recent interest because they have been found to be associated with, and may act to promote the development of, a wide range of soft tissue neoplasms derived from mesencyhmal tissue cells.
[3][7][11] Detection of a FET gene–containing fusion gene is extremely helpful in diagnosing tumor types,[1][11] defining the pathogenic mechanisms by which these fusion proteins promote disorders,[3][12] and thereby identifying potential targets for treating these disorders.
[2][13] The following are examples of these fusion genes' associations with malignant and benign neoplastic tumors.