Abstract:

Objective: To analyze the expression and prognostic value of ZNF692 gene in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and to explore the related regulation mechanism. Methods: The RNA-Seq and clinical data were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the correlation of ZNF692 expression with prognosis in the 516 ccRCC patients obtained were assessed. Twenty paired cancerous and paracancerous tissue samples of ccRCC patients were collected at Ruijin Hospital, and quantitative RT-PCR was used to determine ZNF692 gene expression. Upstream regulation mechanism of ZNF692 gene was explored by analyzing gene expression level with DNA copy number, DNA methylation and histone modification. Cell proliferations in ccRCC cell lines 786-O and 769-P with ZNF692 gene knockdown were detected and the function of ZNF692 gene was analyzed. Results: TCGA data extraction and analysis of the clinical samples revealed that ZNF692 gene was highly expressed in ccRCC cancer tissue compared with paracancerous tissue, and the high level of ZNF692 gene expression predicted a poor prognosis. Patients with high ZNF692 gene expression had shorter overall survival and event-free survival than those with low ZNF692 gene expression. High expression of ZNF692 gene was correlated with activation of c-MYC transcription. In regulatory region of ZNF692 gene, H3K27ac was enriched and in a highly activated transcription state. Knockdown of ZNF692 gene inhibited cell proliferation in ccRCC. Conclusions: ZNF692 as a potential oncogene is involved in the development and progress of ccRCC, and high expression of ZNF692 in ccRCC predicts a poor prognosis

Key words: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma, ZNF692 gene, Prognosis, Mechanism