ZNF692 promote proliferation through transcriptional repression of essential genes in clear cell renal carcinoma

The multiple roles of interferon regulatory factor family in health and disease

Interferon Regulatory Factors (IRFs), a family of transcription factors, profoundly influence the immune system, impacting both physiological and pathological processes. This review explores the diverse functions of nine mammalian IRF members, each featuring conserved domains essential for interactions with other transcription factors and cofactors. These interactions allow IRFs to modulate a broad spectrum of physiological processes, encompassing host defense, immune response, and cell development. Conversely, their pivotal role in immune regulation implicates them in the pathophysiology of various diseases, such as infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, metabolic diseases, and cancers. In this context, IRFs display a dichotomous nature, functioning as both tumor suppressors and promoters, contingent upon the specific disease milieu. Post-translational modifications of IRFs, including phosphorylation and ubiquitination, play a crucial role in modulating their function, stability, and activation. As prospective biomarkers and therapeutic targets, IRFs present promising opportunities for disease intervention. Further research is needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms governing IRF regulation, potentially pioneering innovative therapeutic strategies, particularly in cancer treatment, where the equilibrium of IRF activities is of paramount importance.

ZNF692 promotes the migration and response to immunotherapy of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cells by targeting metabolic pathway

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), with high mortality and poor prognosis, is the most common type of renal malignancy. It is necessary to identify new biomarkers that can serve as indicators for the detection of ccRCC at its early stages. In this study, we analyzed the role of classical zinc finger protein 692 (ZNF692) in ccRCC using datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Single Cell Portal and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of a tissue-microarray, and analyzed the function of ZNF692 in ccRCC cells. The analyses indicated that ZNF692 was upregulated in ccRCC samples compared with normal or paracancerous control samples (P < 0.001) and that the expression of this gene was linked to poor overall survival (HR = 2.1, P < 0.0001). The knockdown of ZNF692 inhibited the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells by target GTPase-activating protein (SH3 domain)-binding protein 2 (G3BP2), and transmembrane 9 superfamily member 2 (TM9SF2)). T, B, proximal, and collecting tubule cells are the dominant cell types in normal kidney tissue where ZNF692 is expressed. In addition, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy dramatically changed the expression patterns of ZNF692. Collectively, these data indicate that ZNF692 may serve as prognosis, and as a potential indicator of the response to ICB therapy, a possibility needs to be verified by a case‒control study.

Predictive value of immediate early response 5 like (IER5L) in the prognosis and immune checkpoint blockade therapy of non-small cell lung cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a malignancy with high mortality. Immediate early response 5 like (IER5L) has been found to associate with worse prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. However, its role in the prognosis prediction of NSCLC has remained largely unknown.

METHODS

The IER5L expression in NSCLC and normal tissues was analyzed in two public cohorts: TCGA-LUAD-LUSC and GSE159857. Additionally, functional enrichment, survival analysis, CIBERSORT and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were investigated between low- and high-IER5L level groups. The in vitro IER5L mRNA and protein levels were determined using RT-qPCR and western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

The data from TCGA-LUAD-LUSC and GSE159857 cohorts showed a high IER5L mRNA expression in NSCLC tissue samples compared to normal controls. The increased expression of IER5L in NSCLC cells were also validated by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Additionally, NSCLC patients with high-IER5L level had significantly worse prognosis and IER5L could be used as an independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients. Meanwhile, patients in the high-IER5L group had higher TMB level. IER5L expression was negatively correlated with the proportion of Monocytes and T cells CD4 memory resting, and was positively related to the proportion of Tregs and M0 macrophages in tumor tissues. Besides, transcription factors TFAP4 and ZNF692 may bind to the promoter region of IER5L, and then modulate IER5L gene transcription, thereby affecting IER5L gene expression. Furthermore, GSEA results showed that IER5L gene was closely related to MAPK, PI3K-Akt, NF-kappaB signaling pathways in NSCLC.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, high IER5L expression may be a promising unfavorable prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC patients.

ZNF692 drives malignant development of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by promoting ALDOA-dependent glycolysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the malignancies with the worst prognosis worldwide, in the occurrence and development of which glycolysis plays a central role. This study uncovered a mechanism by which ZNF692 regulates ALDOA-dependent glycolysis in HCC cells. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression of ZNF692, KAT5, and ALDOA in HCC cell lines and a normal liver cell line. The influences of transfection-induced alterations in the expression of ZNF692, KAT5, and ALDOA on the functions of HepG2 cells were detected by performing MTT, flow cytometry, Transwell, cell scratch, and colony formation assays, and the levels of glucose and lactate were determined using assay kits. ChIP and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to validate the binding of ZNF692 to the KAT5 promoter, and co-IP assays to detect the interaction between KAT5 and ALDOA and the acetylation of ALDOA. ZNF692, KAT5, and ALDOA were highly expressed in human HCC samples and cell lines, and their expression levels were positively correlated in HCC. ZNF692, ALDOA, or KAT5 knockdown inhibited glycolysis, proliferation, invasion, and migration and promoted apoptosis in HepG2 cells. ZNF692 bound to the KAT5 promoter and promoted its activity. ALDOA acetylation levels were elevated in HCC cell lines. KAT5 bound to ALDOA and catalyzed ALDOA acetylation. ALDOA or KAT5 overexpression in the same time of ZNF692 knockdown, compared to ZNF692 knockdown only, stimulated glycolysis, proliferation, invasion, and migration and reduced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. ZNF692 promotes the acetylation modification and protein expression of ALDOA by catalyzing KAT5 transcription, thereby accelerating glycolysis to drive HCC cell development.

Comprehensive analysis of ZNF692 as a potential biomarker associated with immune infiltration in a pan cancer analysis and validation in hepatocellular carcinoma

Currently, the roles of ZNF692 have been documented exclusively in lung, colon, and cervical cancers. However, its involvement in pan cancer remains unknown. In this study, we employed bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation to investigate the role of ZNF692 in pan cancer. Our findings revealed aberrant expression of ZNF692 across various types of cancer. High expression of ZNF692 was associated with poor overall survival (OS) in ACC, COAD, KIRC, LAML, and LIHC. ZNF692 exhibited promising diagnostic potential in certain tumor types. A significant correlation was observed between high ZNF692 expression and advanced stages of ACC, BLCA, KICH, KIRC, LIHC, and OV. The expression of ZNF692 exhibited a significant association with microsatellite instability (MSI) in eight types of cancer and tumor mutational burden (TMB) in ten types of cancer. A noteworthy correlation was observed between ZNF692 expression and immune infiltration as well as immune checkpoints. Amplification of ZNF692 emerged as the most frequent alteration in pan cancer. ZNF692 was implicated in various biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions within the context of pan cancer. It is plausible that ZNF692 may contribute to chemotherapy and potentially be linked to chemoresistance. We constructed a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network involving AC009403.11/miR-126-3p/ZNF692 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression of ZNF692 exhibited a notable upregulation in HCC cell lines. Aberrant expression of ZNF692 was observed across various types of cancer. ZNF692 holds potential as a valuable diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic target in the context of pan cancer.