Recently, Professor Ma Chunhong's team from the school of Basic Medicine published an online publication entitled "transcription factor ZHX2 restrictions NK cell matching and suppresses their antitumor immunity" in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (IF = 14.307) Tan Siyu, a doctoral student of the school of basic medicine of Shandong University, is the first author of the paper, Professor Ma Chunhong of the school of basic medicine of Shandong University is the corresponding author of the paper, and Shandong University is the independent first unit and corresponding author unit

NK cells are important innate immune cells in vivo and play an important role in anti-tumor and antiviral responses. NK cell maturation is precisely regulated by transcription factors, but the inhibitory transcription factors that regulate NK cell maturation remain unclear. Zhx2 was identified for the first time as an important transcription factor controlling NK cell maturation and function. NK cells with Zhx2 specific knockout had a more mature phenotype and stronger ability to kill tumor cells. Deletion of Zhx2 promoted NK cell survival and response to IL-15.RNAseq and ATACseq combined with data analysis, ChIP and in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that Zhx2 transcriptional regulation of Zeb2, a key factor in NK cell maturation, inhibits NK cell maturation and function. Animal experiments showed that intervention Zhx2 significantly promoted the antitumor function of NK cells. This study reveals the role of tumor suppressor gene Zhx2 as a key transcription factor controlling NK cell maturation and highlights the therapeutic potential of Zhx2 as an intervention target to enhance NK cell immune surveillance function.

Paper link: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20210009