SET and MYND domain-containing protein 3, also known as Zinc finger MYND domain-containing protein 1, SMYD3, and ZMYND, is a member of the histone-lysine methyltransferase family. SMYD3 contains one MYND-type zinc finger and one SET domain. SMYD3 is a histone H3 lysine-4-specific methyltransferase. It is expressed in skeletal muscles and testis. It is overexpressed in a majority of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SMYD3 plays an important role in transcriptional regulation in human carcinogenesis. It activates the transcription of a set of downstream genes. Of these downstream genes, there are several oncogenes and genes associated with cell adhesion (including those of N-Myc, CrkL, Wnt10b, L-selectin, CD31 and galectin-4), which have been shown to have effects on cell viability, adhesion, migration and metastasis. Increased SMYD3 expression is essential for the proliferation of breast cancer cells. SMYD3 may be a promising new target of therapeutic intervention for the treatment of cancers or other pathological processes associated with cell adhesion and migration.
