Histone Demethylase JMJD2D: A Novel Player in Colorectal and Hepatocellular Cancers
1
State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
2
School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315021, China
3
Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Cancers 2022, 14(12), 2841; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14122841
Submission received: 18 April 2022
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Revised: 26 May 2022
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Accepted: 28 May 2022
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Published: 8 June 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling Pathway in Gastrointestinal Cancer)
Simple Summary
Histone demethylase JMJD2D is a multifunctional epigenetic factor coordinating androgen receptor activation, DNA damage repair, DNA replication, cell cycle regulation, and inflammation modulation. JMJD2D is also a well-established epigenetic facilitator in the progression of multiple malignant tumors, especially in colorectal cancer (CRC) and hepatocellular cancer (HCC). This review aims to summarize the mechanisms of JMJD2D in promoting CRC and HCC progression, which provides novel ideas for targeting JMJD2D in oncotherapy. JMJD2D promotes gene transcription by reducing H3K9 methylation and serves as a coactivator to enhance the activities of multiple carcinogenic pathways, including Wnt/β-catenin, Hedgehog, HIF1, JAK-STAT3, and Notch signaling; or acts as an antagonist of the tumor suppressor p53.
Abstract
Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of histones are well-established contributors in a variety of biological functions, especially tumorigenesis. Histone demethylase JMJD2D (also known as KDM4D), a member of the JMJD2 subfamily, promotes gene transcription by antagonizing H3K9 methylation. JMJD2D is an epigenetic factor coordinating androgen receptor activation, DNA damage repair, DNA replication, and cell cycle regulation. Recently, the oncogenic role of JMJD2D in colorectal cancer (CRC) and hepatocellular cancer (HCC) has been recognized. JMJD2D serves as a coactivator of β-catenin, Gli1/2, HIF1α, STAT3, IRF1, TCF4, and NICD or an antagonist of p53 to promote the progression of CRC and HCC. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms of JMJD2D in promoting the progression of CRC and HCC as well as the constructive role of its targeting inhibitors in suppressing tumorigenesis and synergistically enhancing the efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy.
Keywords:
JMJD2D; KDM4D; H3K9me3; epigenetic; colorectal cancer; hepatocellular cancer
