SOX9 and neoplasm: iv) SOX9 promotes osteosarcoma (OS) cell growth by inhibiting the promoter activity of the CLDN8 gene and down-regulating CLDN8 expression, which functions as an oncogenic factor and was up-regulated in OS cells [14]; Overexpression of SOX9 in adult mouse prostate epithelia induces an early high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesion, indicating that SOX9 augments the loss of PTEN, which is a factor vital for tumor formation [52].