ZNF797 plays an oncogenic role in gastric cancer

Human cancer cells resemble stem cells in expression signatures leading them to share some features, most notably, self-renewal. A complex network of transcription factors and signaling molecules are required for continuation of this trait. ZNF797 (SALL4) is a zinc finger transcriptional activator crucial for maintenance of self-renewal in stem cells; however, its expression level has not yet been elucidated in gastric tumor cells. Its expression was analyzed to determine this level and probable clinicopathological consequences. SALL4 expression in fresh tumor and distant tumor-free tissues from 46 colorectal samples was compared by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Greater than a 2-fold increase in SALL4 expression was detected in 89.5% of tumors vs normal related tissues. SALL4 expression was significantly correlated with tumor cell metastasis to lymph nodes, especially in moderately differentiated tumor samples (P < 0.05). Furthermore, higher levels of SALL4 mRNA expression were significantly associated with younger patients with tumor cells in stages I and II (P < 0.05). These results indicate a relationship between SALL4 expression and tumor cell metastasis to lymph nodes and consequent progression of tumors to advanced stages III and IV. Along with the promising evidence of its role in self-renewal in various cancers, SALL4 is introduced as a potentially interesting therapeutic target to reverse a number of aberrations that promote gastric tumor development and maintenance. This result may lead to new approaches for cancer therapy.