Disease relevance of HOXA7

• MEIS1 and HOXA7 genes in human acute myeloid leukemia [1].
• Methylation analysis of HOXA genes in primary squamous cell carcinomas of the lung led to the identification of the HOXA7- and HOXA9-associated CpG islands as frequent methylation targets in stage 1 tumors [2].
• Antibodies to HOXA7, a differentiation antigen, have the highest reported prevalence in ovarian cancer (67%) [3].
• Expression of the botR/A, bont/A and antp genes, monitored by reverse transcription and real-time PCR analysis, occurred concomitantly at the transition between the exponential and stationary growth phases of Clostridium botulinum A [4].

High impact information on HOXA7

• Transformation of myeloid progenitors by MLL oncoproteins is dependent on Hoxa7 and Hoxa9 [5].
• In this study, we identified the homeobox gene HOXA7 as encoding an antigen in epithelial tumors of the ovary [6].
• In contrast, it was observed that healthy women lack anti-HOXA7 antibodies (P < 0.0001) and that HOXA7 expression is absent from normal ovarian surface epithelium [6].
• We now report that six different genes of the cluster HOX 1 are sequentially induced by RA in a similar temporal pattern, beginning with genes at the 3' end of the cluster [7].
• These results provide the first example of protein kinase C-mediated homeobox gene regulation in keratinocytes, and new evidence that HOXA7, potentially in conjunction with HOXA5 and HOXAB7, silences differentiation-specific genes during keratinocyte proliferation, that are then released from inhibition in response to differentiation signals [8].

Biological context of HOXA7

• Previously, we studied the sequence and function of an upstream regulatory region of the human HOXA7 gene [9].
• Co-activation of Meisl with Hoxa7 or Hoxa9 homeobox genes by retroviral gene insertion has recently been reported to be leukemogenic in murine myeloid leukemia [1].
• Aberrant expression of homeobox gene HOXA7 is associated with müllerian-like differentiation of epithelial ovarian tumors and the generation of a specific autologous antibody response [6].
• The increase in HOXA7 protein in response to GDF-9 represents the first demonstration of a possible regulatory role of oocytes in ovarian follicular HOX gene expression [10].
• The finished sequence from BAC clones from the genome of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, reveals a gene order wherein the anterior genes (Hox1, Hox2 and Hox3) lie nearest the posterior genes in the cluster such that the most 3' gene is Hox5 [11].

Anatomical context of HOXA7

• Most human myeloid leukemia cell lines co-expressed MEIS1 with HOXA7 and HOXA9 [1].
• To better understand these regulatory processes, we studied HOXA7 expression and its regulation of differentiation-specific keratinocyte genes [8].
• The change in HOXA7 expression from negative primordial to positive primary follicles suggested a relationship with granulosa cell proliferation [10].
• Oocytes expressed little HOXA7 [10].
• HOXA7 was mainly cytoplasmic in theca interna, but completely absent in theca externa [10].

Associations of HOXA7 with chemical compounds

• Thus, arginine-containing peptides as Tat or Antp, oligoarginine peptides, and derived peptoids have been described as shuttles for delivering nonpermeant drugs inside cancer cells [12].
• The results indicated that the gene products of DNA/CH nanoparticles and DNA/Lipofectamine 2,000 complexes whether modified or unmodified with Antp could not be observed within BCECs [13].
• The DNA/PEI nanoparticles and DNA/PAMAM nanoparticles could be internalized into BCECs to a certain extent, and the expression efficiency was enhanced significantly with the modification of Antp [13].

Regulatory relationships of HOXA7

• A total of 89.5% of patients expressing MEIS1 co-expressed HOXA7 [1].
• HOXA7 overexpression repressed transglutaminase 1-reporter activity [8].

Other interactions of HOXA7

• In unadjusted models, poorer response to chemotherapy was associated with expression of HOXA7 regardless of MEIS1 status and older patients were more likely to express either gene [1].
• The expression patterns of HOXA5 and HOXA7 were similar, but their expression was weaker [14].
• HOXA7 message markedly decreased, and transglutaminase RNA increased, upon phorbol ester-induced differentiation, in a protein kinase C-dependent manner [8].
• The hierarchical relationship between these patterning genes was examined after anterior ectopic expression of cCdx-B. cCdx-B expression in anterior cardiogenic cells by means of adenoviral infection leads to the induction of Wnt-8c and the posterior Hox genes, Hoxa-7, Hoxc-6, and Hoxc-8 [15].
• Role of HOXA7 to HOXA13 and PBX1 genes in various forms of MRKH syndrome (congenital absence of uterus and vagina) [16].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of HOXA7

• While we did not detect any significant correlations between HOX expression and complete response rates or age in this limited set of patients, there was a significant correlation between event-free survival and HOXA7 with a trend toward significance for HoxA9, HoxA4 and HoxA5 [17].
• Sequence analysis and tissue specific expression of human HOXA7 [18].
• In this paper, we have reviewed the delivery of different molecules and particles mediated by TAT, Antp, VP22, and other CPPs as well as potential applications of these delivery systems in different areas of vaccine development, cancer immunotherapy, gene delivery, and cellular imaging [19].
• Identification and linkage mapping of the genes for the putative homeodomain protein (hox1) and the putative pheromone receptor protein homologue (rcb1) in a bipolar basidiomycete, Pholiota nameko [20].

References