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The ZBTB family in cardiac development and diseases
Xing Xiang1, Jie Mao2, Dan Tang1
1Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Institution of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hunan Province Clinical Research Center for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of High-incidence Sexually Transmitted Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Multi-omics and Artificial Intelligence of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Myocardial Injury in Hunan Province, Hengyang, Hunan, China; Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
Abstract:
ZBTB (zinc finger and BTB domain) proteins are a class of evolutionarily conserved transcriptional factors (TFs) with zinc finger (ZF) and BTB (Broad-complex, Tram-track, and Bric-à-brac) domains. The ZBTB protein family has a wide range of functions in numerous biological processes, including cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, organ development, and haematopoietic stem cell fate determination. The ZBTB proteins regulate gene expression through interactions with transcriptional regulators, influencing processes such as myocardial contractility, inflammation, fibrosis, and cellular metabolism. Given the critical role of the ZBTB family in cardiac biology, the present review endeavours to comprehensively summarize the regulatory roles of seven ZBTB family members (HIC2, BCL6, PLZF, ZBTB17, ZBTB20, ZBTB7a, and ZBTB11) in cardiac development and diseases, along with their potential molecular mechanisms. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of ZBTB proteins opens avenues for developing targeted therapies for cardiovascular diseases, including hypertrophy, fibrosis, and inflammation. This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent research on the role of ZBTB proteins in regulating cardiac transcription. Particular emphasis is placed on elucidating their functions in both cardiac development and the pathogenesis of cardiac diseases.
