# Chromatin Remodeling-Related PRDM1 Increases Stomach Cancer Proliferation and Is Counteracted by Bromodomain Inhibitor

## TL;DR

PRDM1 promotes stomach cancer growth and is linked to bromodomain inhibitors, suggesting new treatment possibilities.

## Contribution

PRDM1 is identified as a novel chromatin remodeling factor with prognostic and therapeutic relevance in stomach cancer.

## Key findings

- PRDM1 is the only chromatin remodeling factor with altered expression and prognostic value in six gastrointestinal cancers.
- PRDM1 knockdown reduces stomach cancer cell proliferation and BRD4 expression.
- PRDM1-high stomach cancer is associated with cell cycle pathways and bromodomain inhibitor IBET151.

## Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are some of the main public health threats to the world. Even though surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy are available for their treatments, these approaches provide limited success in reducing mortality, making the identification of additional therapeutic targets mandatory. Chromatin remodeling in cancer has long been studied and related therapeutics are widely used, although less is known about factors with prognostic and therapeutic potential in such areas as gastrointestinal cancers. Through applying systematic bioinformatic analysis, we determined that out of 31 chromatin remodeling factors in six gastrointestinal cancers, only PR/SET domain 1 (PRDM1) showed both expression alteration and prognosis prediction. Analyses on pathways, therapies, and mediators showed that cell cycle, bromodomain inhibitor IBET151, and BET protein BRD4 were, respectively involved in PRDM1-high stomach cancer, while cell line experiments validated that PRDM1 knockdown in human stomach cancer cell line SNU-1 decreased its proliferation, BRD4 expression, and responsiveness to IBET151; accordingly, these results indicate the contribution by PRDM1 in stomach cancer formation and its association with BRD4 modulation as well as BET inhibitor treatment.