Zimp7 and Zimp10, two novel PIAS-like proteins, function as androgen receptor coregulators.

The androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in male sexual development and in normal and malignant prostate cell growth and survival. It has been shown that AR transcriptional activation is regulated through interactions with a variety of transcriptional co-regulators. The Protein Inhibitors of Activated STATs (PIAS) are transcriptional co-regulators, and have been shown to modulate AR-mediated transcription. In this brief, we summarize our recent studies on two novel PIAS-like proteins, Zimp7 and Zimp10. Particularly, we address the functional interactions between the AR and these two proteins, and potential mechanisms by which they regulate AR mediated transcription. In addition, we explore potential roles of Zimp10 in transcriptional regulation in vivo using a recent Zimp10 knockout mouse model. Taken together, our findings thus far suggest that Zimp7 and Zimp10 are functionally non-redundant and share unique characteristics that have not been described for the PIAS family. Further investigation into the functional roles of these two PIAS-like proteins may help to better understand prostate cancer progression, and yield possible new targets for therapeutic intervention.