Zinc finger protein ZIC2 (ZIC2)

Zinc finger protein ZIC2 (ZIC2) is a transcription factor of the ZIC family characterized by five C2H2-type zinc finger domains that enable binding to DNA and regulatory proteins[1][6][7]. It is critically involved in embryonic brain development, including patterning of the forebrain, neural tube closure, formation of the left-right body axis, and retinal axon guidance[1][4][5]. ZIC2 modulates gene expression primarily through transcriptional repression, acting at enhancer regions, and functions in chromatin remodeling and regulation of embryonic stem cell fate by interacting with the NuRD complex[2][3]. Mutations in ZIC2 cause holoprosencephaly type 5 and are associated with neural tube defects and various midline developmental anomalies[1][4][7]. Overexpression of ZIC2 has been linked with tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and poor prognosis in several malignancies, and abnormal ZIC2 activity impacts immune regulation and genomic stability[6]. No drugs are currently known to directly target ZIC2.

Other names

Zinc finger protein of the cerebellum 2HPE5Zic family member 2 (odd-paired homolog, Drosophila)Zinc finger protein ZIC 2ZIC2Zic2