Zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 1, ZSCAN1, is a novel stemness-related tumor suppressor and transcriptional repressor in breast cancer targeting TAZ

Jian Chu, Yunzhe Li, Misi He, Hui Zhang, Lingling Yang, Muyao Yang, Jingshu Liu, Chenxi Cui, Liquan Hong, Xingchi Hu, Lei Zhou, Tangya Li , Changchun Li, Huiwen Fan, Guoqin Jiang (Corresponding Author), Tingyuan Lang (Corresponding Author)

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) targeted therapy holds the potential for improving cancer management; identification of stemness-related genes in CSCs is necessary for its development.

Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) datasets were used for survival analysis. ZSCAN1 correlated genes was identified by Spearman correlation analysis. Breast cancer stem-like cells (BCSLCs) were isolated by sorting CD44+CD24- cells from suspension cultured breast cancer (BC) spheroids. The sphere-forming capacity and sphere- and tumor-initiating capacities were determined by sphere formation and limiting dilution assays. The relative gene expression was determined by qRT-PCR, western blot. Lentivirus system was used for gene manipulation. Nuclear run-on assay was employed to examine the levels of nascent mRNAs. DNA pull-down and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were used for determining the interaction between protein and target DNA fragments. Luciferase reporter assay was used for evaluating the activity of the promoter.

Results and discussion: ZSCAN1 is aberrantly suppressed in BC, and this suppression indicates a bad prognosis. Ectopic expression of ZSCAN1 inhibited the proliferation, clonogenicity, and tumorigenicity of BC cells. ZSCAN1-overexpressing BCSLCs exhibited weakened stemness properties. Normal human mammary epithelial (HMLE) cells with ZSCAN1 depletion exhibited enhanced stemness properties. Mechanistic studies showed that ZSCAN1 directly binds to -951 ~ -925bp region of WWTR1 (encodes TAZ) promoter, inhibits WWTR1 transcription, thereby inhibiting the stemness of BCSCs. Our work thus revealed ZSCAN1 as a novel stemness-related tumor suppressor and transcriptional repressor in BC.
Original languageEnglish
Article number1041688
Number of pages14
JournalFrontiers in Oncology
Volume13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Feb 2023

Keywords

  • TAZ
  • ZSCAN1
  • breast cancer
  • stemness
  • transcriptional repressor
  • tumor suppressor

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