Emerging Roles of BRD7 in Pathophysiology

Bromodomain is a conserved structural module found in many chromatin-associated proteins. Bromodomain-containing protein 7 (BRD7) is a member of the bromodomain-containing protein family, and was discovered two decades ago as a protein that is downregulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Since then, BRD7 has been implicated in a variety of cellular processes, including chromatin remodeling, transcriptional regulation, and cell cycle progression. Decreased BRD7 activity underlies the pathophysiological properties of various diseases in different organs. BRD7 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many cancers and, more recently, its roles in the regulation of metabolism and obesity have also been highlighted. Here, we review the involvement of BRD7 in a variety of pathophysiological conditions, with a focus on glucose homeostasis, obesity, and cancer.