Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Gene Regulation and Targeted Therapy in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis: Radiological Findings from Dual Energy CT and PET/CT
10:28

Gene Regulation and Targeted Therapy in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis: Radiological Findings from Dual Energy CT and PET/CT

Published on: January 22, 2018

11.5K

BRD4 Promotes Gastric Cancer Progression and Metastasis through Acetylation-Dependent Stabilization of Snail

Zhong-Yi Qin1, Tao Wang1, Siyuan Su2

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, P. R. China.

Cancer Research
|July 18, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) drives gastric cancer metastasis by stabilizing Snail. Targeting BRD4 offers a new therapeutic strategy for metastatic gastric cancer patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics
  • Cancer Metastasis

Background:

  • Cancer metastasis is a major cause of cancer-related mortality.
  • Epigenetic modifiers play a role in metastasis, but their specific functions are not fully understood.
  • Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is an epigenetic reader and a potential anticancer target.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of BRD4 in gastric cancer progression and metastasis.
  • To determine the mechanism by which BRD4 promotes metastasis.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting BRD4 in metastatic gastric cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of BRD4 abundance in human gastric cancer tissues.
  • In vitro and in vivo studies to assess the role of BRD4 in cancer cell invasiveness and dissemination.
  • Investigation of BRD4's interaction with Snail at the posttranslational level.
  • Genome-wide transcriptome analyses to identify shared target genes of BRD4 and Snail.

Main Results:

  • BRD4 abundance correlates with reduced metastasis-free survival in gastric cancer patients.
  • BRD4 enhances cancer cell invasiveness and dissemination.
  • BRD4 stabilizes Snail by preventing its ubiquitylation and degradation, independent of canonical transcriptional targets.
  • BRD4 and Snail regulate a common set of genes involved in metastasis.

Conclusions:

  • BRD4 promotes gastric cancer metastasis through a noncanonical posttranscriptional mechanism involving Snail stabilization.
  • Targeting BRD4 with existing bromodomain inhibitors may be a viable therapeutic strategy for metastatic gastric cancer.

More Related Videos

Combined Conditional Knockdown and Adapted Sphere Formation Assay to Study a Stemness-Associated Gene of Patient-derived Gastric Cancer Stem Cells09:24

Combined Conditional Knockdown and Adapted Sphere Formation Assay to Study a Stemness-Associated Gene of Patient-derived Gastric Cancer Stem Cells

Published on: May 9, 2020

4.8K
An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis06:48

An Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer Metastasis

Published on: September 18, 2013

35.8K

Related Concept Videos

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.7K
The Eukaryotic Promoter Region02:40

The Eukaryotic Promoter Region

The eukaryotic promoter region is a segment of DNA located upstream of a gene. It contains an RNA polymerase binding site, a transcription start site, and several cis-regulatory sequences.  The proximal promoter region is located in the vicinity of the gene and has cis-regulatory sequences and the core promoter. The core promoter is the binding site for RNA polymerase and is usually located between -35 and +35 nucleotides from the transcription start site. The distal promoter regions are...
18.7K
RNA Stability01:53

RNA Stability

Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
35.6K
Phase II Reactions: Acetylation Reactions01:24

Phase II Reactions: Acetylation Reactions

Acetylation, a phase II biotransformation reaction, introduces an acetyl group to drugs or their metabolites. Acetyltransferase enzymes facilitate this reaction, which resembles α-amino acid conjugation due to the addition of a functional group to the drug molecule.
The substrates for acetylation are typically drugs or their metabolites with an amino, sulfonamide, or hydrazine functional group. Acetylation can occur at several points in the drug molecule, including primary, secondary, and...
784
Gastric Motility01:16

Gastric Motility

Gastric motility is the coordinated contraction and relaxation of stomach muscles that convert ingested food into chyme, a semi-liquid substance ready for further digestion in the intestines. The process begins with the vagus nerve inducing the relaxation of the smooth muscles in the fundus and body of the stomach, allowing these regions to expand and accommodate up to approximately 1.5 liters of food and liquid.
Peristaltic Waves and Chyme Formation
Upon food entry, the stomach initiates...
2.9K
Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
6.4K