Abstract
ZFX is a transcriptional regulator in embryonic stem cells and plays an important role in pluripotency and self-renewal. ZFX is widely expressed in pluripotent stem cells and is down-regulated during differentiation of embryonic stem cells. ZFX has five different variants that encode three different protein isoforms. While several reports have determined the overexpression of ZFX in a variety of somatic cancers, the expression of ZFX-spliced variants in cancer cells is not well-understood. We investigated the expression of ZFX variants in a series of breast cancer tissues and cell lines using quantitative PCR. The expression of ZFX variant 1/3 was higher in tumor tissue compared to marginal tissue. In contrast, the ZFX variant 5 was down-regulated in tumor tissues. While the ZFX variant 1/3 and ZFX variant 5 expression significantly increased in low-grade tumors, ZFX variant 4 was strongly expressed in high-grade tumors, demonstrating lymphatic invasion. In addition, our result revealed a significant association between the HER2 status and the expression of ZFX-spliced variants. Our data suggest that the expression of ZFX-spliced transcripts varies between different types of breast cancer and may contribute to their tumorigenesis process. Hence, ZFX-spliced transcripts could be considered as novel tumor markers with a probable value in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of breast cancer.
Highlights
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a sub-population of tumor cells with stem cell properties, including self-renewal and pluripotency
The expression of ZFX variants were evaluated in the breast cancer cell lines; MCF7, SK-BR-3, MDA-MB231, and pluripotent embryonic carcinoma; NCCIT
These ZFX variants were expressed in embryonic stem cells (NCCIT) as well as in breast cancer cell lines (Fig. 2)
Summary
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a sub-population of tumor cells with stem cell properties, including self-renewal and pluripotency. ZFX is widely expressed in pluripotent stem cells and is downregulated during differentiation of embryonic stem cells[6,7]. ZFX is a transcriptional regulator in embryonic stem cells and plays an important role in pluripotency and self-renewal. ZFX is widely expressed in pluripotent stem cells and is down-regulated during differentiation of embryonic stem cells. Methods: We investigated the expression of ZFX variants in a series of breast cancer tissues and cell lines using quantitative PCR. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the expression of ZFX-spliced transcripts varies between different types of breast cancer and may contribute to their tumorigenesis process. ZFX-spliced transcripts could be considered as novel tumor markers with a probable value in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of breast cancer.
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