Brain acid soluble protein 1 (BASP1)

Brain acid soluble protein 1 (BASP1) is a highly conserved, membrane-associated signal processing protein that is particularly abundant in the brain, where it is involved in the regulation of synaptic plasticity, neurite outgrowth, and neural development[1][3][8][9]. BASP1 belongs to a family of growth-associated proteins (including CAP23 and GAP43), is myristoylated at its N-terminus, and contains phosphorylation sites and PEST motifs which indicate rapid protein turnover[2][3][6][8]. It has multifunctional roles, acting as a transcriptional corepressor in complex with Wilms’ tumor protein (WT1), and as a tumor suppressor interfering with oncogenic pathways (e.g., MYC)[3][7]. During neural development, BASP1 is expressed in neural stem cells and is required for survival—gene knockout is lethal in mice[1]. BASP1 is also present in some non-neural tissues and its altered expression has been associated with cancer, making it a possible biomarker for both neural progenitor identification and oncological prognosis[3][7][1]. No direct pharmacological interventions currently target BASP1.

Other names

Brain abundant membrane attached signal protein 1NAP22NAP-22CAP23CAP-2322 kDa neuronal tissue-enriched acidic proteinNeuronal axonal membrane protein NAP-22