Novel Role of Testis Protein BRDT Identified as a Driver in Lung Cancer Development

Recent research from Northwestern University has uncovered a surprising function of the testis-specific protein BRDT in the progression of lung cancer. Traditionally known for its role in reproductive biology, BRDT has now been linked to tumor growth in lung cancer cells. The study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates that BRDT is overexpressed in lung cancer tissues and actively contributes to the tumor’s growth and survival.

Lead researcher Dr. Lu Wang and his team investigated how reducing BRDT levels affects lung cancer cells. They found that suppression of BRDT significantly impaired tumor growth both in vitro and in animal models, indicating that BRDT is essential for the proliferation of lung cancer cells. Interestingly, BRDT shares some functions with a related protein called BRD4, which is known to regulate gene expression and is also involved in cancer pathogenesis.

While BRD4 has been extensively studied, this research highlights that BRDT performs unique and critical roles in lung cancer development. Specifically, BRDT can independently release paused RNA polymerase II—a key step in the gene transcription process—without relying on its bromodomains, which are protein regions typically involved in reading epigenetic marks. This distinct mechanism suggests that targeting BRDT could provide a new avenue for therapeutic intervention.

Prominent scientists like Dr. Ali Shilatifard are now focusing on developing strategies to inhibit BRDT, with the hope that such therapies could be effective against lung cancer. The findings open the door to novel treatments that could complement existing options, potentially improving patient outcomes.

This breakthrough underscores a broader understanding that proteins traditionally associated with reproductive functions can be co-opted by cancer cells to promote tumorigenesis, emphasizing the importance of studying these molecules in various contexts.

For more details, refer to the original study: Bin Zheng et al., “Ectopic expression of testis-specific transcription elongation factor in driving cancer,” Science Advances, 2025. [DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads4200]

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-unexpected-role-testis-protein-brdt.html