Pseudogene CYP4Z2P 3′UTR promotes angiogenesis in breast cancer

• A new critical role of pseudogene CYP4Z2P 3′UTR in breast cancer is proposed.
• We examine the level of pseudogene CYP4Z2P 3′UTR in breast cancer tissues.
• The functions of CYP4Z2P 3′UTR and mechanism were studied.
• The mechanism provides new insights for the breast cancer progression.

Pseudogenes have long been marked as “false” genes, which are similar with real genes but have no apparent function. The 3′UTR is well-known to regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Our recent evidence, however, indicates novel functional roles of pseudogene CYP4Z2P 3′UTR (Z2P-UTR). We found that ectopic expression of Z2P-UTR in breast cancer cells significantly increased the expression of VEGF-A without affecting cell proliferation in vitro. Meanwhile, conditioned medium (CM) from Z2P-UTR overexpression cells enhanced proliferation, migration and tube formation of HUVEC, and promoted angiogenesis in ex vivo models. Also, CM increased the expression of VEGFR2 in HUVEC. Our data suggest that Z2P-UTR can promote breast cancer angiogenesis partly via paracrine pathway of VEGF-A/VEGFR2.