Gamma-synuclein is a
protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SNCG''
gene.
Synuclein-gamma is a member of the synuclein family of proteins, which are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. High levels of SNCG have been identified in advanced breast carcinomas suggesting a correlation between overexpression of SNCG and breast tumor development.
Gamma-synuclein is a
synuclein protein found primarily in the
peripheral nervous system (in primary sensory
neurons,
sympathetic neurons, and
motor neuron
A motor neuron (or motoneuron or efferent neuron) is a neuron whose cell body is located in the motor cortex, brainstem or the spinal cord, and whose axon (fiber) projects to the spinal cord or outside of the spinal cord to directly or indirectl ...
s) and
retina.
It is also detected in the
brain, ovarian tumors, and in the
olfactory epithelium. Gamma-synuclein is the least conserved of the synuclein proteins.
Gamma-Synucleins expression in
breast tumors is a marker for
tumor progression
as
mammal
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
ian gamma-synuclein was first identified as breast cancer-specific
gene 1 (BCSG1). A change in the expression of gamma-synuclein has been observed in the retina of patients with
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
. The normal cellular function of gamma-synuclein remains unknown.
Interactions
Gamma-synuclein has been shown to
interact with
BUB1B.
See also
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Synuclein
References
Further reading
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