Dachshund homolog 1 (DACH1) plays a very important role in the proliferation of retinal and pituitary precursor cells, and also inhibits transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) induced apoptosis. It acts as a repressor of TGF-β induction of AP-1 and Smad (transcription factors) signaling. It also represses those genes which are responsive to TGF-β. DACH1 binds to endogenous nuclear receptor co-repressor (NCoR) and inhibits the activation of reporter activity on promoters which are induced by Smad2 or Smad3. DACH1 regulates and blocks contact-independent growth, inhibits cyclin D1 and breast tumor growth. Basically, it is a cell fate determination factor.
