ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: REG3A, a member of the third subclass of the Reg family, has been found in a variety of tissues but is not detected in immune cells. In the past decade, it has been determined that REG3A expression is regulated by injury, infection, inflammatory stimuli, and pro-cytokines via different signaling pathways, and it acts as a tissue-repair, bactericidal, and anti-inflammatory molecule in human diseases. Recently, the role of REG3A in cancer has received increasing attention. The present article aims to investigate the structure, expression, regulation, function of REG3A, and to highlight the potential role of REG3A in tumors. METHODS: A detailed literature search and data organization were conducted to find information about the role of REG3A in variety of physiological functions and tumors. RESULTS: Contradictory roles of REG3A have been reported in different tumor models. Some studies have demonstrated that high expression of REG3A in cancers can be oncogenic. Other studies have shown decreased REG3A expression in cancer cells as well as suppressed tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, better understanding of REG3A may lead to new insights that make it a potentially useful target for cancer therapy.
Subject(s)
Neoplasms/genetics , Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins/metabolism , Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins/physiology , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Gene Expression/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/genetics , Humans , Neoplasms/metabolism , Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins/genetics , Signal Transduction/physiology , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Intestinal expression of regenerating pancreatic islet-derived protein-encoding genes (REG) would be enhanced after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and would affect postoperative type 2 diabetes remission (T2Dr). METHODS: Intestinal biopsy samples were collected from 20 adult obese women with T2D before and 3 months after RYGB. Levels of REG expression and the gene encoding its putative receptor (EXTL3) were assessed by microarray and validated by quantitative RT-PCR. T2Dr was assessed according to ADA criteria 1 year after RYGB. RESULTS: After RYGB, only patients with T2Dr had significantly increased REG1α and REG3γ expression in the jejunum, as validated by quantitative RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide support for the hypothesis that increased jejunal expression of REG genes after RYGB affects T2Dr, possibly by playing an endocrine function.