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FYN
FYN
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FYN
Available structures
PDBOrtholog search: PDBe RCSB
Identifiers
AliasesFYN, SLK, SYN, p59-FYN proto-oncogene, Src family tyrosine kinase
External IDsOMIM: 137025; MGI: 95602; HomoloGene: 48068; GeneCards: FYN; OMA:FYN - orthologs
Orthologs
SpeciesHumanMouse
Entrez
Ensembl
UniProt
RefSeq (mRNA)

NM_001242779
NM_002037
NM_153047
NM_153048
NM_001370529

NM_001122892
NM_001122893
NM_008054

RefSeq (protein)

NP_002028
NP_694592
NP_694593
NP_001357458

NP_001116364
NP_001116365
NP_032080

Location (UCSC)Chr 6: 111.66 – 111.87 MbChr 10: 39.37 – 39.57 Mb
PubMed search[3][4]
Wikidata
View/Edit HumanView/Edit Mouse

Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn (p59-FYN, Slk, Syn, MGC45350, Gene ID 2534)[5] is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the FYN gene.[6]

Fyn is a 59-kDa member of the Src family of kinases typically associated with T-cell and neuronal signaling in development and normal cell physiology. Disruptions in these signaling pathways often have implications in the formation of a variety of cancers. By definition as a proto-oncogene, Fyn codes for proteins that help regulate cell growth. Changes in its DNA sequence transform it into an oncogene that leads to the formation of a different protein with implications for normal cell regulation.[5][7]

Fyn is a member of the protein-tyrosine kinase oncogene family. It encodes a membrane-associated tyrosine kinase that has been implicated in the control of cell growth. The protein associates with the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and interacts with the fyn-binding protein. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms exist.[8]

History

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Fyn is a member of the Src-family of kinases (SFK), the first proto-oncogene to be identified. The discovery of the Src-family in 1976 led to the Nobel prize for medicine in 1989 for J.M Bishop and E.M. Varmus. Fyn was first identified in 1986 as Syn or Slk through probes derived from v-yes and v-fgr. A common feature of SFKs is that they are commonly upregulated in cancers. Fyn is functionally distinct from its family members in that it interacts with FAK and paxillin (PXN) in the regulation of cell morphology and motility.[9]

Function

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Fyn is a protein, present in the signaling pathway of integrins, which activates ras. Fyn is a tyrosine-specific phospho-transferase that is a member of the Src family of non-receptor tyrosine protein kinases.[10] (This family also includes Abl, Src, focal adhesion kinase and Janus kinase.) Fyn is located downstream of several cell surface receptors, commonly associated with neuronal development and T-cell signaling. When fyn is activated it causes downstream activation of molecular signals that drive processes crucial to growth and motility of cells.[9] Fyn is primarily localized to the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane, where it phosphorylates tyrosine residues on key targets involved in a variety of different signaling pathways. Tyrosine phosphorylation of target proteins by Fyn serves to either regulate target protein activity, and/or to generate a binding site on the target protein that recruits other signaling molecules. Fyn also is a tumor suppressor. When this normal biology is compromised, the altered Fyn becomes involved in the neoplastic transformation of normal cells to cancerous ones following the pathway from pre-invasive, to invasive, and ultimately metastasis.[7]

Fyn also appears to play an important role in fertilization including in the rapid Inositol trisphosphate-mediated calcium signaling which occurs when oocyte and sperm interact. Fyn expression levels are much higher in oocytes than even neurons and T-cells and it has been suggested to be an 'oocyte-specific kinase'.[11] Several studies point to Fyn as being responsible for dramatic biochemical changes in the oocyte cortex during oocyte maturation.[12] Fyn may also play an important role in proper shaping of sperm head and acrosome within the testis and possibly has an additional role in the sperm acrosome reaction.[13]

Role in signaling pathways

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An understanding of the role of fyn in normal biology is crucial to the understanding of its role in cancer, as cancer is the dysregulation of these normal pathways. Knowing which pathways involve Fyn will provide key insight for the development of potential pharmacologic agents to attenuate this uncontrolled signaling.

At least three tools have been useful in discerning a requirement for Fyn function in a particular signaling system:

  • cells derived from Fyn-/- mice (as well as cells derived from Fyn, Src, Yes, Fyn triple knockout mice (SYF));
  • a kinase-inactive, dominant negative mutant form of Fyn (K299M);
  • pharmacologic inhibitors of Src family kinases, such as PP2; note that PP2 also inhibits other tyrosine protein kinases such as Abl, PDGFR and c-Kit.

Using these tools, a requirement for Fyn has been shown for the following signaling pathways: T and B cell receptor signaling,[14][15] integrin-mediated signaling, growth factor and cytokine receptor signaling, platelet activation, ion channel function, cell adhesion, axon guidance, fertilization, entry into mitosis, and differentiation of natural killer cells, oligodendrocytes and keratinocytes. Fyn also has an important role to play in TLR-mediated immune responses from T cells.[16]

Interactions

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FYN has been shown to interact with:

Role in cancer biology

[edit]

The Src family of kinases is commonly associated with its role in "invasion and tumor progression, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and development of metastasis," all hallmarks of cancer progression.[9] Fyn's normal function in cellular growth and proliferation has the potential to be exploited in the progression and metastasis of cancer cells. Overexpression of Fyn has been found to drive morphologic transformation in normal cells and increase "anchorage-independent growth and prominent morphologic changes." [5]

Fyn overexpression has been studied in relation to the following cancers: prostate cancer, glioblastoma multiform, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, pancreatic cancer, chronic melogenic leukemia, and melanoma.[5][76] This overexpression triggers a promotion of "anti-apoptotic activity of Akt" in prostate cancer, meaning that these cells have gained the ability to avoid the normal cell death pathways (a common hallmark of cancer).[7] Additionally, in glioblastoma multiform, Src and Fyn have been found to be "effectors of oncogenic EGFR signaling" which has led to tumor invasion and cancer cell survival.[5]

Fyn's normal role in cell migration and adhesion enables it to utilize the normal cell biology of integrin and FAK for cancer growth. Normal integrin is a cell surface receptor that interacts with the extracellular matrix to send signals influencing cell shape and motility. Normal FAK is a tyrosine kinase that gets recruited to focal adhesion sites and plays a key role in directed cell movement. These normal pathways plan a key role in "mediation of Fyn transmitted cellular events impacting shape and motility." A compromised version of this pathway would enable cancer cells to change shape and motility, increasing the possibility for advanced invasion and metastasis. Additional pathways under investigation regarding Fyn's role in cancer progression include: the Rac and Rho family of GTPases, Ras, Erk, and MAPK.[5][7]

Because of this, Fyn has been a common target for anti-cancer therapeutic research. The inhibition of Fyn (like other SFKs) results in decreased cell growth. Furthermore, "expression of kinase-dead-Fyn (KD-Fyn), a specific competitor of endogenous Fyn," was found to reduce the size of primary tumors in mice. Specifically targeting the unique identifying properties of Fyn as well as inhibiting FAK and PXN has the potential to create a very effective molecularly targeted combination cancer therapy.[7][9] Fyn inhibitors are also being explored as potential therapies for Alzheimer's Disease.[77]

References

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Further reading

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Fūyǎn (敷衍; : fūyǎn) is a Mandarin Chinese term that in modern usage primarily describes a perfunctory, superficial, or half-hearted approach to handling affairs, characterized by a lack of sincerity, thoroughness, or genuine effort, often done merely to meet minimal expectations or evade responsibility. The word commonly appears in fixed idiomatic expressions such as 敷衍了事 (fūyǎn liǎo shì), meaning to deal with something carelessly or superficially just to finish it, and 敷衍塞責 (fūyǎn sè zé), meaning to shirk responsibility through superficial compliance without real effort. Historically, fūyǎn carried more neutral or positive connotations, originally referring to spreading out, extending, or elaborating on ideas, as seen in classical texts such as the Xijing Fu by Zhang Heng (where it described extensive layout) and the Song Shi (where it denoted expounding on classical texts). Over time, its meaning shifted toward superficial handling, eventually evolving into the predominant modern sense of negligence or insincerity. In contemporary Mandarin, fūyǎn conveys a negative judgment, often applied to behaviors in work, administration, or social interactions where minimal compliance substitutes for genuine commitment.

Etymology

Chinese characters

The term fūyǎn is composed of two Chinese characters: (fū) and (yǎn). The character (fū) is a phono-semantic compound (形声字), with the phonetic component (fǔ) and the semantic radical (pū), which relates to actions or striking. Its original meaning centers on spreading out, laying out, applying, or distributing something, as in granting benefits or laying out a surface. Classical usages include spreading (e.g., mats or ideas) or applying (e.g., medicine), reflecting the core idea of extending over an area. The character (yǎn) is an ideogrammic compound (会意字), formed from (water) on the left and (go/walk) on the right, originally depicting water flowing toward the sea in a natural, overflowing manner. Its primary sense is to extend, spread out, elaborate, or overflow, often implying expansion, development, or abundance. Combined literally, 敷衍 conveys "to spread and extend" or "to lay out and develop," originally denoting the act of laying out or elaborating something extensively—such as spreading ideas or narrating in detail. This literal sense appears in early texts, such as Zhang Heng's Xijing Fu, where in the phrase "篠簜敷衍" it describes the extensive spreading of bamboo groves, with meaning to spread (布) and to extend or creep (蔓). This original combination later evolved into the modern figurative meaning of superficial or perfunctory handling (see Figurative meaning).

Pronunciation and romanization

fūyǎn (敷衍) is pronounced in Standard Mandarin as fūyǎn in , with bearing the first tone (high level) and yǎn bearing the third tone (falling-rising). In Zhuyin fuhao (), the term is represented as ㄈㄨ ㄧㄢˇ. The Gwoyeu Romatzyh romanization renders it as fuyean. The Wade-Giles system transcribes it as fu¹-yen³. This compound shows no tone sandhi, as the first tone followed by the third tone undergoes no modification in standard Mandarin phonology. The pronunciation corresponds to the characters 敷 () and 衍 (yǎn), as detailed in the Chinese characters section.

Definitions

Literal meaning

The compound 敷衍 (fūyǎn) is formed from the characters (fū), meaning "to spread," "to lay out," or "to distribute," and (yǎn), meaning "to extend," "to spread out," or "to overflow." Literally, 敷衍 thus conveys the sense of "spreading out and extending" or "laying out and developing" something, often in a physical or metaphorical manner that implies broad dissemination or elaboration. In classical Chinese texts, the term appears in its original, non-idiomatic sense to describe acts of propagation, expansion, or detailed exposition. For instance, in Zhang Heng's Xijing Fu (2nd century CE), it describes the spreading growth of bamboo: "篠簜敷衍,编町成篁," with annotations clarifying as "to spread" (布) and as "to extend" or "to creep" (蔓), referring to the way bamboo shoots spread and form groves. In the Old Tang Book (10th century), the phrase "扫除沴气,敷衍德音" uses 敷衍 to mean propagating or disseminating virtuous teachings and moral influence after clearing away evil forces. Similarly, historical biographies employ it for intellectual elaboration, as in the Song Shi biography of Fan Chong, where "冲敷衍经旨" indicates expounding and developing the meaning of the classics to offer counsel. These early attestations reflect a neutral to positive connotation centered on spreading or expanding content, whether physical entities or ideas, distinct from the term's later figurative shift (see Figurative meaning).

Figurative meaning

Fūyǎn in its modern figurative sense primarily refers to handling affairs superficially and perfunctorily, without genuine effort, thoroughness, or sincerity. This meaning emphasizes a lack of earnestness and responsibility, where actions are performed merely to meet minimal expectations, cope on the surface, or evade full accountability. The term describes dealing with matters not earnestly or practically, but only paying attention to superficial coping and socializing, often implying dismissive or half-hearted engagement. Key characteristics include minimal effort, insincerity in interactions, and a focus on appearances rather than substance. Although the characters historically carried meanings related to spreading out or elaborating, contemporary usage has shifted to this negative connotation of carelessness and inadequacy.

Common expressions

Major idioms

The most prominent four-character idioms incorporating the term fūyǎn are 敷衍了事 (fūyǎn liǎo shì) and 敷衍塞責 (fū yǎn sè zé), both conveying superficial or careless handling of affairs. 敷衍了事 (fūyǎn liǎo shì) describes handling tasks, responsibilities, or interactions in a perfunctory and half-hearted manner, focusing only on superficial compliance to hastily conclude the matter without genuine effort or thoroughness. This expression criticizes actions that lack sincerity or seriousness, often applied to situations where someone merely goes through the motions to avoid deeper involvement. 敷衍塞責 (fū yǎn sè zé) refers to performing duties irresponsibly by offering only surface-level responses to evade accountability or shirk responsibility. The idiom combines the superficial coping implied by fūyǎn with sè zé (dodging blame), emphasizing a deliberate lack of commitment and seriousness in fulfilling obligations, frequently in professional or administrative contexts. These idioms are among the most frequently cited fixed expressions featuring fūyǎn in modern Mandarin and are often used synonymously to denote perfunctory behavior.

Sentence examples

The term fūyǎn (敷衍) and its idiomatic expressions, such as fūyǎn liǎo shì (敷衍了事) and fūyǎn sè zé (敷衍塞責), appear in contemporary Mandarin to describe superficial, half-hearted, or evasive actions. Here are representative examples:
  • 他對此事一再的敷衍,根本沒有解決問題的誠意。
    (Tā duì cǐ shì yī zài de fūyǎn, gēnběn méiyǒu jiějué wèntí de chéngyì.)
    "He has repeatedly been perfunctory about this matter, with absolutely no sincerity in solving the problem."
    This sentence uses fūyǎn alone to emphasize repeated insincere responses lacking genuine intent.
  • 這件事要好好解釋一下,別以為隨便用三言兩語就可以敷衍了事。
    (Zhè jiàn shì yào hǎohǎo jiěshì yīxià, bié yǐwéi suíbiàn yòng sān yán liǎng yǔ jiù kěyǐ fūyǎn liǎo shì.)
    "This matter needs a proper explanation; don't think you can just brush it off with a few casual words."
    The idiom fūyǎn liǎo shì conveys a warning against superficially concluding or dismissing an issue without adequate effort.
  • 興建中的車站發生倒塌事件之後,承包廠商仍一再敷衍塞責,引起社會不滿。
    (Xīngjiàn zhōng de chēzhàn fāshēng dǎotā shìjiàn zhīhòu, chéngbāo chǎngshāng réng yī zài fūyǎn sè zé, yǐnqǐ shèhuì bùmǎn.)
    "After the collapse of the under-construction station, the contractor repeatedly shirked responsibility in a perfunctory manner, arousing public discontent."
    Here, fūyǎn sè zé highlights evasive, superficial handling of accountability in a serious incident.
  • 叫他做事,他總愛敷衍了事。
    (Jiào tā zuò shì, tā zǒng ài fūyǎn liǎo shì.)
    "When asked to do something, he always loves to handle it half-heartedly."
    This everyday expression with fūyǎn liǎo shì illustrates habitual perfunctory behavior in routine tasks.

Usage contexts

Historical usage

The term fūyǎn (敷衍) first appears in classical Chinese texts with a literal meaning of spreading, extending, or laying out, often describing natural growth or propagation. One of the earliest attestations is in Zhang Heng's Western Capital Rhapsody (included in the Liang dynasty compilation Wenxuan), where it describes bamboo spreading: "篠簜敷衍" (thin and thick bamboo spreading and extending), with annotations explaining "敷" as "to spread" and "衍" as "to extend or creep." In subsequent dynasties, the term retained a largely positive or neutral sense of propagating or elaborating, particularly in moral, scholarly, or religious contexts. During the , it appears in the Old Book of Tang (Jiu Tang Shu), in the praise for Emperor Daizong: "掃除沴氣,敷衍德音" (sweep away evil influences, spread virtuous sounds), referring to the dissemination of moral influence or teachings. By the , fūyǎn commonly denoted expounding or elaborating on classics or doctrines. For example, the History of Song (Song Shi) records in the biography of Fan Chong: "冲 敷衍经旨,因以规讽" (Chong elaborated on the meaning of the classics and used it to offer admonition). Similar usage appears in Zhu Xi's Classified Conversations (Zhuzi Yulei), where it means to expound and embellish ideas. The term's semantic shift toward a negative connotation of superficial or perfunctory handling emerged and solidified in the Qing dynasty. In works such as Dangkou Zhi, it describes stalling or superficial dealings to deceive or avoid commitment. By the Qing dynasty, this sense solidified in bureaucratic critiques, as in Zhang Jixin's Dao Xian Huan Hai Jian Wen Lu: "半属敷衍塞责" (half belonging to perfunctory shirking of responsibility), marking the development of the idiomatic expression fūyǎn sè zé to denote superficially discharging duties to evade accountability. Similar examples appear in Qing novels like Officialdom Unmasked and Dream of the Red Chamber, where it conveys handling affairs without sincerity or thoroughness.

Contemporary usage

In contemporary Mandarin Chinese, fūyǎn (敷衍) is widely used as a pejorative term to describe superficial, half-hearted, or perfunctory handling of matters—whether in work, interpersonal relations, or communication—often implying a lack of sincerity, effort, or genuine engagement. It frequently appears in everyday speech and writing to criticize behavior that meets only the bare minimum or avoids real responsibility. Common collocations include fūyǎn gōngzuò (敷衍工作, perfunctory work), fūyǎn guānzhòng (敷衍观众, giving the audience a half-hearted performance), and the fixed expressions fūyǎn liǎo shì (敷衍了事, to handle something carelessly just to finish it) and fūyǎn sè zé (敷衍塞责, to shirk responsibility superficially). In the digital era, fūyǎn has gained particular prominence in online and instant-messaging contexts. Short, minimal replies such as “哦” (ò, oh), “嗯” (ńg, mm), or “呵呵” (hēhē, hehe) are commonly perceived and labeled as fūyǎn by recipients, who interpret them as signs of indifference, coldness, or insincerity. These responses are often cited as major sources of frustration in virtual conversations, capable of halting dialogue or straining relationships. Such complaints appear frequently on social media and forums, reflecting heightened sensitivity to response quality in text-based communication. Overall, the term retains its strongly negative connotation in the 21st century and shows no significant semantic broadening; it continues to serve as a concise way to call out perceived lack of effort across both offline and online settings.

Cultural significance

Social attitudes toward fūyǎn

In Chinese society, fūyǎn is widely regarded with disapproval, as it embodies a lack of sincerity, thoroughness, and genuine commitment—qualities at odds with longstanding cultural ideals of diligence, responsibility, and integrity. This negative evaluation is deeply rooted in Confucian-influenced values that prioritize moral cultivation, sincerity (), and the earnest fulfillment of duties, viewing superficial or half-hearted actions as ethically deficient and detrimental to personal and social harmony. Literary and cultural critiques have reinforced this stance, portraying fūyǎn as a harmful habit embedded in aspects of national character. For instance, writer Lao She highlighted the "perfunctory and muddling" (敷衍鬼混) tendencies among Beijing residents as a barrier to responsible citizenship, advocating for serious and dutiful conduct to advance China's strength and reform negative social patterns. In political and official contexts, fūyǎn faces explicit condemnation, particularly when applied to essential practices like criticism and self-criticism. Mao Zedong emphasized the need for "serious rather than perfunctory" (认真的而不是敷衍的) approaches, arguing that superficial efforts fail to resolve errors, clear contradictions, or promote genuine improvement, ultimately harming collective unity and progress within the Chinese Communist Party. Perfunctory behavior is likened to neglecting necessary purification, allowing flaws to accumulate unchecked. Contemporary social attitudes continue to reflect this disapproval in workplace and institutional settings, where fūyǎn is often equated with irresponsibility, formalism, or evasion of duty—leading to criticism as untrustworthy or detrimental to group goals. Such behavior risks loss of face (面子) and reputational damage, as it signals disrespect for obligations and others' expectations, reinforcing its status as socially undesirable. In education and professional environments, perfunctory efforts are similarly censured for undermining quality and accountability.

Cross-cultural parallels

Concepts similar to fūyǎn appear in other languages and cultures through expressions that denote superficial, half-hearted, or perfunctory actions lacking genuine effort or sincerity. In English, the phrase "going through the motions" closely parallels idiomatic usages such as 敷衍了事, describing activities performed mechanically or without real commitment. Other common equivalents include "perfunctory," used for actions done routinely but without interest or thoroughness, "half-hearted," emphasizing insufficient sincerity or enthusiasm, and "superficial," highlighting a focus on appearances rather than substance. In Japanese, 適当 (tekitō) often carries a negative sense of being casual, irresponsible, or noncommittal, overlapping with the superficial and evasive qualities of fūyǎn when used pejoratively. In Korean, the verb 얼버무리다 describes glossing over or evading responsibility in a vague, superficial manner, akin to the perfunctory shirking implied in 敷衍 and its compounds. These parallels indicate a cross-cultural recognition of superficial handling of affairs, though the precise degree of social disapproval attached to such behavior—as particularly strong in Chinese attitudes toward fūyǎn—may vary across linguistic and cultural contexts.

References

  1. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%95%B7%E8%A1%8D
  2. https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E8%A5%BF%E4%BA%AC%E8%B3%A6
  3. https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E8%88%8A%E5%94%90%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B711
  4. https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%AE%8B%E5%8F%B2/%E5%8D%B7435
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