Immunoglobulin superfamily member 8 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 ''IGSF8''
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 ...
.
IGSF8 has also been designated as CD316 (
cluster of differentiation
The cluster of differentiation (also known as cluster of designation or classification determinant and often abbreviated as CD) is a protocol used for the identification and investigation of cell surface molecules providing targets for immunophe ...
316). IGSF8 is an innate
immune checkpoint
Immune checkpoints are regulators of the immune system. These pathways are crucial for self-tolerance, which prevents the immune system from attacking cells indiscriminately. However, some cancers can protect themselves from attack by stimulat ...
that inhibits the
cytotoxic
Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are toxic metals, toxic chemicals, microbe neurotoxins, radiation particles and even specific neurotransmitters when the system is out of balance. Also some types of dr ...
activity of
natural killer (NK) cells.
IGSF8 acts by binding to the Killer Ig-like Receptor
KIR3DL2
Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 3DL2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''KIR3DL2'' gene.
Structure
Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are transmembrane glycoproteins expressed on natural killer (NK) cells ...
(or, in mice, the analogous
Klra9 receptor).
IGSF8 is frequently overexpressed relative to normal tissues in many cancers, included melanoma, urothelial carcinoma, and breast cancer,
and has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target in gliomas.
In normal tissues, IGSF8 is highly expressed in the brain, where it may contribute to the immune privilege of the
central nervous system
The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain, spinal cord and retina. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity o ...
.
Cancer biomarker
In gliomas, IGSF8 is strongly correlated with tumor grade and is a potential prognostic marker.
IGSF8 is enriched on
ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly from communicating nearby structures such as fallopian tubes or the inner lining of the abdomen. The ovary is made up of three different ...
-derived
extracellular vesicles and is a potential biomarker for the early detection of high grade serous ovarian cancer.
References
Further reading
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External links
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Clusters of differentiation
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