Targeted suppression of metastasis controlling transcription factor SOX2 in various cancers using a sequence-specific designer Pyrrole-Imidazole Polyamide

SOX2 is a well-known transcription factor that plays a central role in maintaiing self renewal, pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, and cell fate determination during embryonic development. N-Methylpyrrole-N-methylimidazole polyamides (PIPs) are chemical compounds that can selectively recognize DNA sequence and achieve operative control over gene expression. In this study, the antitumor activity of a PIP targeting SOX2 binding sequence (SOX2i), which was recently shown to induce the targeted differentiation of stem cells into cardiomyocytes, was evaluated. Genome-wide gene expression change in SW620 by treatment of SOX2i were examined.