Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41120304›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Chromatin looping-based CRISPR screen identifies TLK2 as chromatin loop formation regulator in cancer stemness plasticity.

Zifeng Wang, Fang Liu, Nana Chen, Jingjing Wu, Xinhao Li, Mouxiang Fang, Min Yan, Ji Zhang, Bing Deng, Lulu Wang and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Zifeng Wang *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China. wzifeng@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7400-5224
Fang Liu *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Nana Chen *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Jingjing Wu *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-7564-5907
Xinhao Li *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Mouxiang FangMOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Min YanState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Ji ZhangState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Bing DengState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Lulu WangState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-5549-6170
Xuan WangState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Meiling LiuState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Deshun ZengState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Zhengzhi ZouMOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1893-7649
Bo WangState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China.
Zhou SongyangMOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7824-3761
Bin HeState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China. hebin@sysucc.org.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7690-4730
Quentin LiuState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Psychobehavioral Cancer Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, PR China. liuq9@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0999-9805

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82173367National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82302929National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82303009National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82321003National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82341020National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82403653National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82473123Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Guangdong Natural Science Foundation) 2022A1515010915
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Targeting cancer cell plasticity through chromatin organization is an emerging research area, yet the molecular mechanisms that govern chromatin loop formation remain unclear. Here, we develop a CRISPR screen based on our engineered live-cell CTCF-cohesin contact reporters to identify regulators of chromatin loops. Our findings reveal that tousled-like kinase 2 (TLK2) functions as a key regulator of chromatin loop formation during the cancer stemness transition. Mechanistically, TLK2 phosphorylates DYNLL1, enhancing its interaction with CTCF to promote CTCF-cohesin hub formation at the KLF4 locus. Suppressing TLK2 impairs cancer stemness plasticity, sensitizes cancer cells to cytotoxic stress in vitro, and reduces lung metastases and enhances immunotherapy response in breast cancer mouse models. Clinically, elevated TLK2 expression correlates with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Collectively, these findings identify TLK2 as a potential therapeutic target for mitigating cancer stemness plasticity, highlighting chromatin loop-targeting therapy as a promising strategy to eradicate cancer stem cells.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsChromatinNeoplastic Stem CellsProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesAnimalsCCCTC-Binding FactorCell Cycle ProteinsCell Line, TumorCell PlasticityChromosomal Proteins, Non-HistoneCRISPR-Cas SystemsFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansKruppel-Like Factor 4Kruppel-Like Transcription FactorsCCCTC-Binding FactorCell Cycle ProteinsChromatinChromosomal Proteins, Non-HistoneKLF4 protein, humanKlf4 protein, mouseKruppel-Like Factor 4Kruppel-Like Transcription FactorsProtein Serine-Threonine Kinases

Identifiers

PMID41120304
PMCPMC12540834

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.