GIPC1/RGS19IP1/GIPC, GIPC2, and GIPC3 are a family of central PDZ-domain proteins with GH1 and GH2 domains. GIPC1 interacts with GTPase-activating protein RGS19/RGS-GAIP, TGFβ type III receptor, receptor tyrosine kinase TrkA, and integrin α6A subunit. Xenopus homologue of human GIPCs interacts with Frizzled-3 class of WNT receptor. We investigated expression of human GIPC1 mRNA in normal tissues, cancer cell lines, and primary tumors. GIP1A probe (nucleotide position 1075-1483 of GIPC1 cDNA) hybridized to GIPC1 mRNA of 1.8 kb in size. GIPC1 mRNA was almost ubiquitously expressed in various normal tissues. Expression level of GIPC1 mRNA was relatively lower in bone marrow and peripheral blood leukocytes. GIPC1 mRNA was relatively highly expressed in gastric cancer cell lines OKAJIMA, TMK1, MKN28, MKN45, MKN74, KATO-III, pancreatic cancer cell line AsPC-1, colorectal cancer cell line SW480, and lung cancer cell line A549. On the other hand, GIPC1 mRNA was almost undetectable in leukemia/lymphoma cell lines HL-60, Raji, and Daudi. Expression of GIPC1 mRNA was down-regulated in 12 out of 14 cases of primary kidney tumors, 10 out of 18 cases of primary colorectal tumors, 3 out of 8 cases of primary gastric cancer, 3 out of 3 cases of primary prostate cancer. Because GIPC1 induces increased expression of TGFβ type III receptor at the cell surface and enhanced responsiveness to TGFβ, down-regulation of GIPC1 mRNA in tumors might promote cellular proliferation through interference of TGFβ signaling.

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