The function of BED finger domain of Zbed3 in regulating lung cancer cell proliferation

Zbed3, a BED finger domain-containing protein was found to promote cancer proliferation by regulating β-catenin expression through interacting with Axin. But whether and how BED finger domain function in regulating cancer proliferation is unknown. We constructed five mutants of Zbed3, which lacks the Axin-Zbed3 binding site, and the 43 to 52, 69 to 77, 87 to 92, and 97 to 104 sequences in BED finger domain, respectively and named them as Z-A, Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z4. Transfection of both wild-type of Zbed3 and the mutants Z1, Z3, and Z4 (P < 0.05), but not Z2 (P > 0.05) significantly upregulated β-catenin expression in NCI-H1299 cells. Overexpression of both wild-type of Zbed3 and the mutants Z1, Z3, and Z4 (P < 0.05) but not Z2 (P > 0.05) significantly promoted cancer cell proliferation and invasion. The ability of proliferation (P < 0.05) but not invasion (P < 0.05) of cancer cells transfected with Z1 and Z4 was significantly lower than that with wild-type Zbed3 and Z3. Overexpression of wild-type Zbed3 (P < 0.05) but not the mutant Z-A, which lacks the binding site with Axin and Z2 (P > 0.05) significantly upregulated the interaction of Axin and Zbed3, β-catenin expression and the activity of Wnt signaling. Both overexpression of wild-type Zbed3 and the mutant Z1 and Z4 significantly upregulated the activity of Wnt signaling and promoted cancer cell proliferation (P < 0.05) but only overexpression of wild-type Zbed3 (P < 0.05), but not the mutant Z1, and Z4 (P > 0.05), significantly upregulated the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in NCI-H1299 cells. These results indicate that Zbed3 may promote lung cancer cell proliferation through regulating PCNA expression besides regulating β-catenin expression and BED finger domain can impact on this function.