Runt-related transcription factors in human carcinogenesis: a friend or foe?

Regulation of Biomineralization and Autophagy by the Stress-Sensing Transcription Factor CgRunx1 in Crassostrea gigas Under Daylight Ultraviolet B Radiation

As human activities increase and environmental changes persist, increased ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation in aquatic ecosystems poses significant threats to aquatic life. This study, through transcriptomic analysis of the mantle tissue of Crassostrea gigas following UVB radiation exposure, identified and validated two key transcription factors, CgRunx1 and CgCBFβ. The highest expression levels of CgRunx1 and CgCBFβ in the mantle suggest their pivotal roles in this tissue. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that CgRunx1 and CgCBFβ could form heterodimers and interact with each other. Furthermore, this study assessed the impact of UVB radiation on the levels of reactive oxygen species of the C. gigas, speculating that CgRunx1, as a potential redox-sensitive transcription factor, might be regulated by intracellular ROS. Through screening and binding site prediction analysis of target genes, coupled with dual-luciferase reporter assays, we verified that CgRunx1 might participate in regulating the biomineralization and autophagy processes in C. gigas by activating the transcriptional expression of target genes Transport and Golgi organization 1 and V-type proton ATPase catalytic subunit A. These findings provide new insights into the molecular response mechanisms of the C. gigas to UVB radiation and lay an important foundation for studying the adaptive evolution of bivalves to environmental stress.

[Latest Findings on the Role of RUNX1 in Bone Development and Disorders]

Runt-related transcription factor (RUNX1) is a transcription factor closely involved in hematopoiesis. RUNX1 gene mutation plays an essential pathogenic role in the initiation and development of hematological tumors, especially in acute myeloid leukemia. Recent studies have shown that RUNX1 is also involved in the regulation of bone development and the pathological progression of bone-related diseases. RUNX1 promotes the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes and osteoblasts and modulates the maturation and extracellular matrix formation of chondrocytes. The expression of RUNX1 in mesenchymal stem cells, chondrocytes, and osteoblasts is of great significance for maintaining normal bone development and the mass and quality of bones. RUNX1 also inhibits the differentiation and bone resorptive activities of osteoclasts, which may be influenced by sexual dimorphism. In addition, RUNX1 deficiency contributes to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, delayed fracture healing, and osteoporosis, which was revealed by the RUNX1 conditional knockout modeling in mice. However, the roles of RUNX1 in regulating the hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes, the sexual dimorphism of activities of osteoclasts, as well as bone loss in diabetes mellitus, senescence, infection, chronic inflammation, etc, are still not fully understood. This review provides a systematic summary of the research progress concerning RUNX1 in the field of bone biology, offering new ideas for using RUNX1 as a potential target for bone related diseases, especially osteoarthritis, delayed fracture healing, and osteoporosis.