CKLF like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing 7 (i.e. CMTM7), previously termed chemokine-like factor superfamily 7 (i.e. CKLFSF7), is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respon ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''CMTM7''

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

. This gene, which is located in band 22 on the short (i.e. "p") arm of

chromosome 3 Chromosome 3 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. Chromosome 3 spans almost 200 million base pairs (the building material of DNA) and represents about 6.5 percent of the total DNA i ...

, and the protein that it encodes belong to the

CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family The CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family (CMTM), previously termed the chemokine-like factor superfamily (CKLFSF), consists of 9 proteins, some of which have various isoforms due to alternative splicing of their respective genes. ...

. Through the process of alternative splicing, the ''CMTM7'' gene encodes two

isoforms A protein isoform, or "protein variant", is a member of a set of highly similar proteins that originate from a single gene or gene family and are the result of genetic differences. While many perform the same or similar biological roles, some iso ...

, CMTM7-v1 and CMTM7-v2, with CMTM7-v1 being the main form expressed and studied. CMTM7 proteins are widely expressed in normal human tissues.

Function

CMTM7 protein levels are low in the malignant tissues of various cancers such as those of esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, lung,

cervix The cervix or cervix uteri (Latin, 'neck of the uterus') is the lower part of the uterus (womb) in the human female reproductive system. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes durin ...

, and breast. as compared with its expression in the normal tissues of these organs. Furthermore, the forced overexpression of CMTM7 protein in various cancer immortalized cell lines inhibit their proliferation and motility in culture as well as their ability to form tumors in a

nude mouse A nude mouse is a laboratory mouse from a strain with a genetic mutation that causes a deteriorated or absent thymus, resulting in an inhibited immune system due to a greatly reduced number of T cells. The phenotype (main outward appearance) of t ...

experimental model of cancer. These findings suggest that the CMTM7 protein acts to inhibit the development and/or progression of these cancers and therefore that the ''CMTM7'' gene acts as

tumor suppressor A tumor suppressor gene (TSG), or anti-oncogene, is a gene that regulates a cell during cell division and replication. If the cell grows uncontrollably, it will result in cancer. When a tumor suppressor gene is mutated, it results in a loss or re ...

in these cancers. However, further studies are needed to support these suggestion and determine if expression of the ''CMTM7'' can be used as a clinical marker of these cancers severity/prognosis and/or as therapeutic targets for treating them.

Function

References

Further reading