Zfp185, also known as ZNF185 in humans, is a zinc finger protein with a LIM domain at its C-terminus. In mice, it has been associated with F-actin binding, which may play a role in cell fundamental activities such as cell morphology and movement [1,3]. In plants like rice, ZFP185 is involved in regulating gibberellins (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) contents, affecting plant growth and stress responses [2].

In mouse T lymphocytes, Zfp185 expression is up-regulated during activation, and it localizes uniquely in the uropod, suggesting its potential involvement in T-cell morphology and movement [3]. Knockout of mouse Zfp185, the orthologous gene of human ZNF185, increases vascular leakage in response to inflammatory stimuli in vivo, as ZNF185 in endothelial cells prevents stress fiber formation through the inhibition of RhoA [4]. Transcriptional silencing of ZNF185 by methylation in prostate tumor tissues implicates the gene in prostate tumorigenesis [5].

In conclusion, Zfp185 plays diverse roles in different organisms. In mice, it is crucial for processes related to cell structure and movement in lymphocytes and endothelial cells, and its ortholog in humans may be involved in prostate cancer. In plants, it regulates hormone-related growth and stress responses. The study of Zfp185 using mouse models, especially knockout models, has provided valuable insights into its functions in specific biological processes and disease-related conditions.

References:

1. Wang, Na, Zheng, Quanhui, Zhang, Jin-San, Zhao, Yong. 2008. Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel mouse actin-binding protein Zfp185. In Journal of molecular histology, 39, 295-302. doi:10.1007/s10735-008-9165-2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18239999/

2. Zhang, Ye, Lan, Hongxia, Shao, Qiaolin, Zhang, Hongsheng, Huang, Ji. 2015. An A20/AN1-type zinc finger protein modulates gibberellins and abscisic acid contents and increases sensitivity to abiotic stress in rice (Oryza sativa). In Journal of experimental botany, 67, 315-26. doi:10.1093/jxb/erv464. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26512055/

3. Wang, N, Zhang, J-S, Zheng, Q, Zhao, Y. . The unique localization of ZFP185 at uropod of mouse T lymphocytes. In Scandinavian journal of immunology, 67, 340-4. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3083.2008.02071.x. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18353096/

4. Suzuki, Soichiro, Ando, Fumiaki, Kitagawa, Sae, Rai, Tatemitsu, Uchida, Shinichi. 2023. ZNF185 prevents stress fiber formation through the inhibition of RhoA in endothelial cells. In Communications biology, 6, 29. doi:10.1038/s42003-023-04416-x. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631535/

5. Vanaja, Donkena Krishna, Cheville, John C, Iturria, Steve J, Young, Charles Y F. . Transcriptional silencing of zinc finger protein 185 identified by expression profiling is associated with prostate cancer progression. In Cancer research, 63, 3877-82. doi:. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12873976/