Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42023653›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2026

FOXC2 represses NFAT1-dependent transcription through a DNA-facilitated protein-protein interaction.

Xiaojuan Chen, Sipeng Wu, Sitong Yue, Lin Zhang, Xueru Liu, Shuyan Dai, Jun Li, Huajun Zhang, Hudie Wei, Ming Guo and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

14 authors.

Xiaojuan ChenDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Sipeng WuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008 Hunan, China.
Sitong YueDepartment of Ultrasound, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang 441000, China.
Lin ZhangDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Xueru LiuDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Shuyan DaiDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Jun LiInstitute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China.
Huajun ZhangDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Hudie WeiDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Ming GuoDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Lingzhi QuDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Lin ChenMolecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States.
Yalan DengDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
Yongheng ChenDepartment of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8139-6892

Funding

China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2024M753680Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Department 2021RC4012National Natural Science Foundation of China 32370602National Natural Science Foundation of China 82172654National Natural Science Foundation of China 82202920Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province 2021JJ40961Scientific Research Program of FuRong Laboratory 2025PT5025Youth Science Foundation of Xiangya Hospital 2024Q03
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) plays a central role in immune gene regulation through cooperative interactions with diverse transcriptional partners. While FOXP family members have been identified as co-regulators of NFAT1, the involvement of other FOX family proteins has remained mechanistically obscure. Here, we solved three crystal structures of NFAT1-RHR/FOXC2-DBD/ARRE DNA ternary complexes and uncovered an unexpected mode of transcriptional repression mediated by FOXC2 through direct, DNA-facilitated binding to the V-shaped groove of NFAT1's Rel-homology region (RHR). Biochemical assays revealed that DNA enhanced FOXC2-NFAT1 interaction by more than five-fold, supporting a model in which DNA acts as a structural co-factor that promotes complex formation. Mutational disruption of the FOXC2-NFAT1 interface impaired complex assembly and abrogated transcriptional repression. Functional assays further confirmed that FOXC2 suppressed NFAT1-driven transcription of multiple cytokines and chemokines, including IL2, TNF, CXCL5, and CCL2. Notably, this repressive mechanism was found to extend to other FOX proteins (FOXI1, FOXO1, and FOXK1), suggesting a broader paradigm of FOX-NFAT1 interaction. Our study defined a previously unrecognized FOX-mediated transcriptional repression mechanism and provides a structural framework for NFAT inhibition by FOX proteins, offering novel insights into the transcriptional regulation of immune-related genes.

Indexed as

DNAForkhead Transcription FactorsNFATC Transcription FactorsTranscription, GeneticAnimalsBinding SitesCrystallography, X-RayGene Expression RegulationHumansModels, MolecularProtein BindingDNAForkhead Transcription FactorsNFATC2 protein, humanNFATC Transcription Factors

Identifiers

PMID42023653
PMCPMC13103735

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.