Zfp3, a C2H2-type zinc finger protein gene, has been shown to play crucial roles in plants and potentially in human diseases. In plants like Arabidopsis thaliana, it is involved in multiple biological processes such as salt and osmotic stress response, vegetative growth, root hair development, and regulation of abscisic acid (ABA) and light signaling during seed germination and early seedling development [1,2,4]. In human-related research, it may be associated with diseases like non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC), heart failure, and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and is also potentially involved in the regulation of isoflavonoid biosynthesis in woody plants [3,5,6,7,8].

In Arabidopsis, constitutive expression of Zfp3 enhanced tolerance to salt and osmotic stress, while the zfp3 mutant plants showed reduced tolerance. This indicates its role in stress-related physiological changes such as proline accumulation and chlorophyll content regulation, and it also induced the expressions of stress-related genes like KIN1, RD22, RD29B, and AtP5CS1 [1]. Zfp3 overexpression in Arabidopsis reduced plant growth, limited cell expansion in leaves, and compromised root hair development, suggesting its function in vegetative growth regulation [2]. In seed germination, Zfp3 acts as a negative regulator of ABA-suppression of seed germination, as Zfp3 overexpression lines showed ABA insensitivity, while the zfp3 zfp4 double mutant had enhanced ABA susceptibility [4].

In conclusion, Zfp3 is an important gene with diverse functions. In plants, it significantly influences stress responses, growth, and development. In human-related diseases, although more research is needed, its potential association with various cancers and heart failure implies its importance in understanding disease mechanisms. The study of Zfp3 in genetic models like Arabidopsis mutants has provided valuable insights into its functions, and further research may help clarify its role in human diseases.

References:

1. Zhang, Aidong, Liu, Dongdong, Hua, Changmei, Ali, Imran, Gan, Yinbo. 2016. The Arabidopsis Gene zinc finger protein 3(ZFP3) Is Involved in Salt Stress and Osmotic Stress Response. In PloS one, 11, e0168367. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168367. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27977750/

2. Benyó, Dániel, Bató, Emese, Faragó, Dóra, Nagy, István, Szabados, László. 2024. The zinc finger protein 3 of Arabidopsis thaliana regulates vegetative growth and root hair development. In Frontiers in plant science, 14, 1221519. doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1221519. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38250442/

3. Wang, Yue, Cao, Shuhui, Li, Jingwen, Zhou, Yan, Zhong, Hua. 2023. The predictive value of plasma exosomal lncRNAs/mRNAs in NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy. In Advances in medical sciences, 68, 86-93. doi:10.1016/j.advms.2023.01.003. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36801676/

4. Joseph, Mary Prathiba, Papdi, Csaba, Kozma-Bognár, László, Koncz, Csaba, Szabados, László. 2014. The Arabidopsis ZINC FINGER PROTEIN3 Interferes with Abscisic Acid and Light Signaling in Seed Germination and Plant Development. In Plant physiology, 165, 1203-1220. doi:. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24808098/

5. Jin, Yi, Wang, Zhanwang, Tang, Weizhi, Wu, Xiangwei, Wang, Hui. 2022. An Integrated Analysis of Prognostic Signature and Immune Microenvironment in Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma. In Frontiers in oncology, 12, 891716. doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.891716. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35912229/

6. Andersson, Charlotte, Lin, Honghuang, Liu, Chunyu, Larson, Martin G, Vasan, Ramachandran S. 2019. Integrated Multiomics Approach to Identify Genetic Underpinnings of Heart Failure and Its Echocardiographic Precursors: Framingham Heart Study. In Circulation. Genomic and precision medicine, 12, e002489. doi:10.1161/CIRCGEN.118.002489. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31703168/

7. Yang, Juan, Yang, Jin, Gao, Yan, Song, Tusheng, Huang, Chen. 2014. Identification of potential serum proteomic biomarkers for clear cell renal cell carcinoma. In PloS one, 9, e111364. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111364. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25368985/

8. Wang, Jiaqi, Li, Lu, Wang, Zhihua, Deng, Xiaomei, Wu, Ai-Min. 2023. Integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome reveals the molecular regulatory mechanism of isoflavonoid biosynthesis in Ormosia henryi Prain. In International journal of biological macromolecules, 246, 125601. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125601. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37392916/