Fig. 1

Highly expressed zinc finger protein X-linked enhances the transformation ability of BCR/ABL. A CD34⁺ cells were obtained from normal bone marrow (NBM) of healthy donors (n = 4), CML patients in chronic phase (CP, n = 8), and those in blast crisis (BC, n = 8). The expression of zinc finger protein X-linked (ZFX) in these cells was analyzed by RT–qPCR. B The expression of ZFX in CD34⁺ cells from NBM and a CML patient in chronic phase was analyzed by confocal microscopy, and the representative photos are shown (scale bar = 5 μm). C CRISPR/dCas9 technology was utilized to increase the expression of Zfx in mIL-3-dependent BaF3 cells, and the expression of Zfx was analyzed by RT–qPCR and western blotting. D, E The growth and colony-forming cell (CFC) production of Zfx-overexpressing and control BaF3 cells were measured in the presence of mIL-3 (5 ng/mL). F CRISPR/dCas9 technology was utilized to increase the expression of Zfx in BaF3-BCR/ABL cells, and the expression of Zfx was analyzed by RT–qPCR and western blotting. G, H The growth and CFC production of Zfx-overexpressing and control BaF3-BCR/ABL cells were analyzed (without mIL-3). I Zfx-overexpressing and control BaF3-BCR/ABL cells were subjected to CFC analysis with or without 2 μM imatinib mesylate (IM), and the percentage of CFC production relative to untreated cells was compared. J Zfx-overexpressing and control BaF3 cells and BaF3–BCR/ABL cells were injected into lethally irradiated mice, and the survival was analyzed with the Kaplan–Meier method (log-rank test, **** mean P < 0.0001). Data are presented as the mean ± SEM, and Student’s t-test was used to estimate the P-values (*P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01)