Cancer/Testis Antigen PASD1 Silences the Circadian Clock

What is it about?

Our body clock (circadian clock) controls important processes through a day/night cycle, regulating at least 40% of our genes. The PASD1 protein is only found in the sperm producing testes in normal tissues but is widely expressed in human cancers, making it a so-called 'cancer testis antigen' and therapeutic target. Here we show that PASD1 can block the function of the body clock in cancer cells by preventing the binding of the CLOCK protein to its partner BMAL1.

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Why is it important?

Disruptions to our body clock, for example by shift work or frequent travel between different time zones, is already implicated in an increased frequency of diseases such as cancer. The ability of PASD1 to block these circadian rhythms in cancer cell lines provides molecular insight into how it may actively promote cancer. Importantly, silencing PASD1 was able to induce more robust circadian cycling in cancer cell lines, validating its potential as a therapeutic target.