In our results, we found that knockdown of BMAL1 expression or overexpression of BMAL1 respectively decreases or increases GIST cell survival, proliferation and cell cycle progression, while overexpression of BMAL1 and ZSWIM4 simultaneously reduces the inhibition of cell survival, proliferation and cell cycle progression by ZSWIM4 (Fig. 4G, H, I), suggesting that BMAL1 contributes to GIST cell survival and proliferation, and ZSWIM4 may inhibit GIST cell survival and proliferation through inhibition of BMAL1 expression. Here, ZSWIM4 is linked to gastrointestinal stromal tumor.