Zinc finger protein 800 (ZNF800) promotes proliferation and migration of lower-grade glioma and is associated with immune infiltration

Abstract

ZNF800 is a novel gene affecting the malignant progression of several cancers. However, the involvement of ZNF800 in the malignant evolution of lower-grade gliomas (LGG) and poor prognosis of patients remains unclear. This study comprehensively revealed the association between ZNF800 and LGG malignant progression by analyzing 958 clinical samples from multiple public databases. The mRNA and protein expression levels of ZNF800 were higher in LGG tissues than in non-LGG tissues and were associated with malignant clinical features associated with a poor prognosis. High ZNF800 expression was closely related to the infiltration of some immune cells, particularly CD8 + T cells and dendritic cell activation. ZNF800 was positively associated with several immune checkpoint genes, such as CD274 and PDCD1 encoding PD-1 and PD-L1, respectively. Moreover, knocking down ZNF800 can significantly inhibit the proliferation and invasion ability of glioma cells. Therefore, ZNF800 can be used as an effective biomarker for LGG diagnosis and prognosis and can provide a theoretical basis for potential targets of combined immunotherapy in patients with LGG.