title: ZNF23 induces apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells.
abstract: We recently reported that the level of ZNF23, a KRAB-containing zinc finger protein, is reduced in human cancers and it inhibits cell growth by inducing cell cycle arrest. Here we showed that ZNF23 also induces apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. The protein level of ZNF23 in ovarian cancers was greatly down-regulated compared with that in the normal ovaries. Introduction of ZNF23 into ovarian cancer cells led to apoptosis as demonstrated by activation of caspase-3, nuclear condensation and formation of a sub-G1 peak. This apoptotic process was correlated with loss in mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release and caspase-9 activation. Furthermore, ZNF23 induced apoptosis partially via down-regulation of Bcl-XL. Thus, our results suggest that ZNF23 may also induce apoptosis to suppress tumor cell growth and points to the possibility that its down-regulation might facilitate ovarian cancer cell survival.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
authors.forename: Chuanxin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shenglian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ruiliang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yizheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C464650:ZNF23 protein, human; D051020:bcl-X Protein