GATAD1 gene amplification promotes glioma malignancy by directly regulating CCND1 transcription

The GATAD1 gene overexpression induced by GATAD1 amplification upregulation is detected in different human tumors. To date, the relationship between GATAD1 amplification and glioma oncogenesis and malignancy is still unknown.

GATAD1 gene amplification and expression were analyzed in 187 gliomas using qPCR and immunostaining. The relation of GATAD1 to patients' prognoses was assessed via the Kaplan-Meier method. The MTT and orthotopic tumor transplantation assays were used to identify the function of GATAD1 in glioma proliferation. cDNA microarray, ChIP qPCR, EMSA and 3C were used to screen the downstream mechanism of GATAD1 regulating glioma proliferation.

Our results indicated that GATAD1 gene amplification and GATAD1 gene expression are novel independent diagnosis biomarkers to indicate poor outcome of glioma patients. GATAD1 knockdown can remarkably suppress GBM cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. GATAD1 could promote CCND1 gene transcription by inducing long range chromatin architectural interaction on the CCND1 promoter. Then GATAD1 sequentially accelerates GBM cell cycle transition and proliferation via regulating CCND1.

We identify GATAD1 as a novel potential diagnosis biomarker and promising prognosis predictor in glioma patients. Functionally, we confirm GATAD1 as an epigenetic chromatin topological regulator that promotes glioma proliferation by targeting CCND1.