Introduction
The Su(Var)3-9, Enhancer-of-zeste and Trithorax (SET) and Myeloid,
Nervy, and DEAF-1 (MYND) domain-containing (SMYD) histone
methyltransferases are a family of proteins that is composed by five
members in mice and humans: SMYD1, SMYD2, SMYD3, SMYD4 and SMYD5. These
enzymes act on histone and non-histone targets to regulate many
biological processes, including muscle development and cancer (Spellmon
et al. 2015). Indeed, SMYD2 (Yi, Jiang, and Fang 2019) and SMYD3
(Bottino et al. 2020) are considered to have oncogenic properties in a
myriad of cancer types, although they are dispensable for normal mouse
development and adult life, probably due to its redundancy (Bagislar et
al. 2016). In addition, SMYD proteins are very important for muscle
physiopathology (Du, Tan, and Zhang 2014). Here, we will focus on their
function in immunology, in the broadest sense of the word, including
basic mechanisms and clinical conditions related to the immune system.