===== 🧬 CHCHD2P9 ===== Full name: Coiled-Coil-Helix-Coiled-Coil-Helix Domain Containing 2 Pseudogene 9 Gene type: [[Pseudogene]] Related gene: [[CHCHD2]] (a protein-coding gene involved in mitochondrial function, apoptosis regulation, and oxidative phosphorylation) Function: As a pseudogene, CHCHD2P9 is a non-functional genomic sequence that resembles the CHCHD2 gene but typically lacks the ability to produce a functional protein. Location: Human genome, specific locus may vary by reference genome assembly. ==== 🔬 Biological Relevance ==== While pseudogenes were traditionally considered "junk DNA", growing evidence suggests some may have regulatory roles through: Transcriptional interference miRNA sponging Epigenetic regulation ---- In a [[translational research]] integrating [[single-cell RNA sequencing]], [[flow cytometry]], and in vitro [[functional assay]]s. Ding et al. from the Anhui Medical University, Hefei; Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei. published in [[Frontiers in Immunology]] to elucidate the role of the pseudogene CHCHD2P9 in glioblastoma progression and tumor heterogeneity by leveraging single-cell RNA sequencing and functional assays. CHCHD2P9 is overexpressed in glioma and correlates with worse prognosis. It may influence glioma proliferation and migration and serve as a novel prognostic biomarker or therapeutic target ((Ding Y, Xiao L, Zhou X, Zhao J, Ke J, Cai H, Zhao M, Wang C, Yu T, Zhao Z, Wang Y, Ke J. Molecular insights into [[glioblastoma progression]]: role of [[CHCHD2P9]] in [[tumor heterogeneity]] and [[prognosis]]. Front Immunol. 2025 Jun 24;16:1581850. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1581850. PMID: 40630954; PMCID: PMC12234496.)). ---- **Critical Review:** This study attempts a multidimensional exploration of glioblastoma heterogeneity by integrating advanced single-cell [[transcriptomics]] with basic cellular assays. The identification of [[CHCHD2P9]] as a putative prognostic marker is intriguing, but the study lacks depth in mechanistic validation. While the correlation between CHCHD2P9 expression and [[clinical outcome]] is statistically supported, causality remains speculative. The study’s reliance on a [[pseudogene]] raises biological plausibility concerns, especially without sufficient evidence for its [[protein]]-coding function or [[epigenetic regulation]]. The model’s [[translational]] utility is also not directly tested in patient-derived [[xenograft]]s or [[organoid]]s. The work is [[hypothesis-generating]] rather than definitive, with significant promise for future mechanistic follow-up. **Final Verdict:** Interesting early-phase study with a novel target but insufficient mechanistic or in vivo [[validation]]. **Takeaway for the Practicing Neurosurgeon:** [[CHCHD2P9]] may emerge as a biomarker of [[glioblastoma prognosis]], but clinical application is premature. No impact on current neurosurgical management. **Bottom Line:** A promising [[transcriptomic]] marker in glioblastoma subpopulations, but further functional studies are essential. **Rating:** 5/10 **Publication Date:** June 24, 2025 **Corresponding Author Email:** [[jiyuanke@ahmu.edu.cn]]