B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2) (BTG2)

B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2), also known as TIS21 or PC3, is a key member of the BTG/Tob family of antiproliferative proteins that functions primarily as a tumor suppressor (UniProt P62826). It plays a pivotal role in regulating the cell cycle by inhibiting the G1 to S phase transition, largely through the transcriptional and post-translational downregulation of Cyclin D1 (PMID: 21460915). Additionally, BTG2 is involved in promoting DNA repair, inducing cellular differentiation, and modulating mRNA stability via its interaction with the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex. In various human cancers, such as hepatocellular carcinoma and breast cancer, BTG2 expression is frequently reduced, which is often associated with poor prognosis and increased metastatic potential. Therapeutic approaches involving lentiviral-mediated delivery of the BTG2 gene aim to restore its expression in cancer cells to trigger growth arrest and apoptosis (PMID: 30214157). While there are currently no approved small-molecule drugs that directly target BTG2, its expression can be induced by p53-activating agents or epigenetic modifiers like HDAC inhibitors.

Other names

TIS21PC3BTG family member 2NGF-inducible protein TIS21Pheochromocytoma cell-3

The primary mechanism involves the restoration of BTG2 protein levels via lentiviral-mediated gene transfer, which subsequently inhibits Cyclin D1 expression and activity, leading to G1/S phase cell cycle arrest and the induction of apoptosis in target cancer cells (PMID: 30214157).