Cubilin is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''CUBN''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
.
Function
Cubilin (CUBN) acts as a receptor for intrinsic factor-vitamin B
12 complexes. The role of receptor is supported by the presence of 27 CUB domains. Cubilin shows a restricted mode of expression according to protein profiling and transcriptomics analyses, and is essentially only present in the kidneys and small intestine. Mutations in CUBN may play a role in
autosomal recessive megaloblastic anemia.
A complex of
amnionless
Amnionless is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''AMN'' gene.
Function
A complex of amnionless and cubilin forms the cubam receptor.
The protein encoded by this gene is a type I transmembrane protein. It is thought to modulate bone ...
and cubilin forms the
cubam
Cubam, is the term used to refer to a multi-ligand receptor located in the terminal ileum, specializing in absorption of vitamin B12. Cubam is essentially composed of amnionless (AMN), and cubilin. Cubilin is essential as a cell receptor recogni ...
receptor.
Clinical significance
Cubilin is a potential
diagnostic
Diagnosis (: diagnoses) is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in a lot of different academic discipline, disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine " ...
and
prognostic
Prognosis (Greek: πρόγνωσις "fore-knowing, foreseeing"; : prognoses) is a medical term for predicting the likelihood or expected development of a disease, including whether the signs and symptoms will improve or worsen (and how quickly) o ...
cancer biomarker
A cancer biomarker refers to a substance or process that is indicative of the presence of cancer in the body. A biomarker may be a molecule secreted by a tumor or a specific response of the body to the presence of cancer. genetics, Genetic, epige ...
for kidney cancer. Based on patient survival data, high levels of cubilin in tumor cells is a favourable
prognostic biomarker
In biomedical contexts, a biomarker, or biological marker, is a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition. Biomarkers are often measured and evaluated using blood, urine, or soft tissues to examine normal biological processes, p ...
in
renal cell carcinoma
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of the Proximal tubule, proximal convoluted tubule, a part of the very small tubes in the kidney that transport primary urine. RCC is the most common type of kidney cance ...
.
References
Further reading
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External links
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