Hath1, an important transcription factor in the Notch signaling pathway, was found to transcriptionally increase the mRNA levels of the MUC6 and MUC5AC genes in gastric cancer cell lines, suggesting the potential role of Hath1 in the development of gastric cancer through transcriptional regulation of the MUC6 and MUC5AC genes (Sekine et al., 2006). This evidence concerns the gene ATOH1 and gastric cancer.