ZNF500 abolishes breast cancer proliferation and sensitizes chemotherapy by stabilizing P53 via competing with MDM2

Zinc finger protein 500 (ZNF500) has an unknown expression pattern and biological function in human tissues. Our study revealed that the ZNF500 mRNA and protein levels were higher in breast cancer tissues than those in their normal counterparts. However, ZNF500 expression was negatively correlated with advanced TNM stage (p = 0.018), positive lymph node metastasis (p = 0.014), and a poor prognosis (p < 0.001). ZNF500 overexpression abolished in vivo and in vitro breast cancer cell proliferation by activating the p53‐p21‐E2F4 signaling axis and directly interacting with p53 via its C2H2 domain. This may prevent ubiquitination of p53 in a manner that is competitive to MDM2, thus stabilizing p53. When ZNF500‐∆C2H2 was overexpressed, the suppressed proliferation of breast cancer cells was neutralized in vitro and in vivo. In human breast cancer tissues, ZNF500 expression was positively correlated with p53 (p = 0.022) and E2F4 (p = 0.004) expression. ZNF500 expression was significantly lower in patients with Miller/Payne Grade 1–2 than in those with Miller/Payne Grade 3–5 (p = 0.012). ZNF500 suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation and sensitizes cells to chemotherapy.