The converging roles of BRD4 and gene transcription in pluripotency and oncogenesis.

Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and cancer cells share traits and molecular mechanisms, such as the ability to self-renew and a block in cellular differentiation.   Both ESCs and tumor cells have a large proliferative capacity and cellular plasticity.  One common denominator linking these two cell types is the BET family member, BRD4.  BRD4 plays a critical role in gene regulation, recruiting the active form of Positive Elongation Factor b (P-TEFb) to RNA polymerase II at paused promoters ultimately resulting in the production of elongated mRNAs.  BRD4 is deregulated in many cancers making it an attractive therapeutic target.  Here, we highlight the recent findings coupling the role of BRD4 in pluripotency and tumorigenesis.