The impact of <i>MEIS1</i> TALE homeodomain transcription factor knockdown on glioma stem cell growth

Myeloid ecotropic virus insertion site 1 (<i>MEIS1</i>) is a HOX co-factor necessary for organ development and normal hematopoiesis. Recently, <i>MEIS1</i> has been linked to the development and progression of various cancers. However, its role in gliomagenesis particularly on glioma stem cells (GSCs) remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that <i>MEIS1</i> is highly upregulated in GSCs compared to normal, and glioma cells and to its differentiated counterparts. Inhibition of <i>MEIS1</i> expression by shRNA significantly reduced GSC growth in both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> experiments. On the other hand, integrated transcriptomics analyses of glioma datasets revealed that <i>MEIS1</i> expression is correlated to cell cycle-related genes. Clinical data analysis revealed that <i>MEIS1</i> expression is elevated in high-grade gliomas, and patients with high <i>MEIS1</i> levels have poorer overall survival outcomes. The findings suggest that <i>MEIS1</i> is a prognostic biomarker for glioma patients and a possible target for developing novel therapeutic strategies against GBM.