SETDB1 is a histone H3K9 methyltransferase that has a critical role in early development. It is located within a melanoma susceptibility locus and facilitates melanoma formation. However, the mechanism by which SETDB1 regulates tumorigenesis remains unknown. Here we report the molecular interplay between SETDB1 and the well-known hotspot gain-of-function (GOF) TP53 R249S mutation. We show that in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) SETDB1 is overexpressed with moderate copy number gain, and GOF TP53 mutations including R249S associate with this overexpression. Inactivation of SETDB1 in HCC cell lines bearing the R249S mutation suppresses cell growth. The TP53 mutation status renders cancer cells dependent on SETDB1. Moreover, SETDB1 forms a complex with p53 and catalyses p53K370 di-methylation. SETDB1 attenuation reduces the p53K370me2 level, which subsequently leads to increased recognition and degradation of p53 by MDM2. Together, we provide both genetic and biochemical evidence for a mechanism by which SETDB1 regulates cancer cell growth via methylation of p53.

During the last 10 years, with the development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method, it has been widely applied in nucleic acid analysis because of its simplicity, rapidity, high efficiency, and outstanding specificity. This method employs a DNA polymerase and a set of four specially designed primers that recognize a total of six distinct sequences on the target DNA. Expensive equipment are not necessary to acquire a high level of precision, and there are fewer preparation steps compared to conventional PCR and real-time PCR assays. This paper briefly summarized the applications of LAMP method in pathogenic microorganisms, genetically modified ingredients, tumor detection, and embryo sex identification.

Genome-wide expression analysis of embryonic development provides information that is useful in a variety of contexts. Here, we report transcriptome profiles of human early embryos covering development during the first third of organogenesis. We identified two major categories of genes, displaying gradually reduced or gradually increased expression patterns across this developmental window. The decreasing group appeared to include stemness-specific and differentiation-specific genes important for the initiation of organogenesis, whereas the increasing group appeared to be largely differentiation related and indicative of diverse organ formation. Based on these findings, we devised a putative molecular network that may provide a framework for the regulation of early human organogenesis. Our results represent a significant step in characterization of early human embryogenesis and provide a resource for understanding human development and for stem cell engineering.