title: ZNF423 and ZNF521: EBF1 Antagonists of Potential Relevance in B-Lymphoid Malignancies.
abstract: The development of the B-lymphoid cell lineage is tightly controlled by the concerted action of a network of transcriptional and epigenetic regulators. EBF1, a central component of this network, is essential for B-lymphoid specification and commitment as well as for the maintenance of the B-cell identity. Genetic alterations causing loss of function of these B-lymphopoiesis regulators have been implicated in the pathogenesis of B-lymphoid malignancies, with particular regard to B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (B-ALLs), where their presence is frequently detected. The activity of the B-cell regulatory network may also be disrupted by the aberrant expression of inhibitory molecules. In particular, two multi-zinc finger transcription cofactors named ZNF423 and ZNF521 have been characterised as potent inhibitors of EBF1 and are emerging as potentially relevant contributors to the development of B-cell leukaemias. Here we will briefly review the current knowledge of these factors and discuss the importance of their functional cross talk with EBF1 in the development of B-cell malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mesuraca
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiarella
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scicchitano
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Codispoti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; YCR Cancer Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nappo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Haematopoiesis and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morrone
mesh_terms: D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D038041:Lymphopoiesis / Q000235:genetics; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C081976:EBF1 protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C031017:ornithine decarboxylase antizyme; C529598:zinc finger protein 521, human