Disease relevance of PHF3

• PHF3-specific antibody responses in over 60% of patients with glioblastoma multiforme [1].
• In GBM, PHF3 expression is concentrated in cells surrounding necroses [1].
• PHF3 expression is frequently reduced in glioma [2].
• PHF3 is ubiquitously expressed in normal tissues including brain, but its expression is significantly reduced or lost in glioblastoma, glioblastoma cell lines, anaplastic astrocytomas and astrocytomas [2].

High impact information on PHF3

• We show that GBM patients with an antibody response against PHF3 show significant better survival than patients without PHF3-specific antibodies [1].
• A polyclonal antibody generated against PHF3 shows nuclear expression in most investigated formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissues [1].
• By screening a human GBM cDNA library with autologous patient serum (SEREX-approach), we isolated a gene termed PHF3 (PHD finger protein 3) [1].
• Autoantibodies against GLEA2 and PHF3 in glioblastoma: tumor-associated autoantibodies correlated with prolonged survival [3].
• Using serological identification of recombinantly expressed tumor antigens (SEREX), we identified several autoantibodies against glioma-expressed antigens including GLEA1, GLEA2 and PHD-finger protein3 (PHF3) [3].

Biological context of PHF3

• The PHF3 protein sequence contains several protein motifs frequently found in transcription factors [2].
• Here we report the identification and expression analysis of a novel gene from human chromosome 6q12 that is considered to be the third member of a family of PHD finger containing genes and is termed PHF3 [2].

References