Knockdown of KDM2A inhibits proliferation associated with TGF-ß expression in HEK293T cell

Lysine-specific Demethylase 2A (KDM2A, also known as JHDM1A or FBXL11) plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms on KDM2A controlling cell proliferation are varied among cell types, even controversial conclusions have been drawn. In order to elucidate the functions and underlying mechanisms for KDM2A controlling cell proliferation and apoptosis, we screened a KDM2A knock-out HEK293T cell lines by CRISPR/Cas9 to illustrate the effects of KDM2A on both biological process. The results indicate that KDM2A may significantly weaken cell proliferation. The cell cycle analysis via flow cytometry demonstrate that knockdown expression of KDM2A will lead more cells arrested at G2/M phase. Through the RNA-seq analysis of the differential expressed genes between KDM2A knockdown HEK293T cells and wild type, we screened out that TGF-ß pathway was significantly down-regulated in KDM2A knockdown cells, which indicates that TGF-ß signaling pathway might be the downstream target of KDM2A to regulate cell proliferation. Taken together, these findings suggested that KDM2A might be a key regulator of cell proliferation and cell cycle via TGF-ß signaling pathway.