Myef2, or myelin expression factor 2, is an RNA-binding protein. It has been implicated in various biological processes and pathways. In oligodendroglial cells, it is involved in the regulation of myelin protein expression, with its function being modulated by PARP1-mediated PARylation, which is essential for oligodendroglial differentiation and CNS myelination [5]. It also participates in hematopoietic regulation, as part of the RUNX1-MYEF2 complex that represses hematopoietic genes in erythroid cells, and knockdown of Myef2 in zebrafish reduces the number of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) [4].

In disease-related studies, in IDH-wild-type glioblastoma, MYEF2 was identified as an immune infiltration-related prognostic factor. Its expression negatively correlates with T cell exhaustion and tumor progression, and knockdown of MYEF2 in GBM cells promotes cell proliferation and migration [1]. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), MYEF2 is significantly upregulated, and its expression is associated with tumor stage, histological grade, and TNM stage. Functionally, elevated MYEF2 facilitates cell migration and invasion in vitro, making it a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC [2]. In cervical cancer, MYEF2 was identified as a key transcription factor in a subtype of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), revealing its role in the communication between CAFs and other cells and in the MK signaling pathway [3].

In conclusion, Myef2 plays crucial roles in normal biological processes such as oligodendroglial differentiation, hematopoiesis, and in disease-related processes like tumor progression in glioblastoma, HCC, and cervical cancer. The study of Myef2 through loss-of-function experiments in models like zebrafish and in vitro cell knockdowns has provided insights into its functions, highlighting its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in certain cancers.

References:

1. Zhang, Yunxiao, Wen, Yunyu, Nie, Jing, Qi, Songtao, Xie, Sidi. 2023. MYEF2: an immune infiltration-related prognostic factor in IDH-wild-type glioblastoma. In Aging, 15, 7760-7780. doi:10.18632/aging.204939. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37556355/

2. Zhang, Peng, Zhao, Jiang-Hua, Chen, Lin, Wang, Hui-Xuan, Cai, Wei-Hua. 2023. Expression and function of myelin expression factor 2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. In BMC gastroenterology, 23, 20. doi:10.1186/s12876-023-02644-3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36658471/

3. Wen, Shuang, Lv, Xuefeng, Li, Pengxiang, Li, Jinpeng, Qin, Dongchun. 2023. Analysis of cancer-associated fibroblasts in cervical cancer by single-cell RNA sequencing. In Aging, 15, 15340-15359. doi:10.18632/aging.205353. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38157264/

4. van Riel, Boet, Pakozdi, Tibor, Brouwer, Rutger, Lenhard, Boris, Grosveld, Frank. 2012. A novel complex, RUNX1-MYEF2, represses hematopoietic genes in erythroid cells. In Molecular and cellular biology, 32, 3814-22. doi:10.1128/MCB.05938-11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22801375/

5. Wang, Yan, Zhang, Yanhong, Zhang, Sheng, Deng, Wenbin, Guo, Fuzheng. . PARP1-mediated PARylation activity is essential for oligodendroglial differentiation and CNS myelination. In Cell reports, 37, 109695. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109695. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34610310/