Family with sequence similarity 107 member A (FAM107A) (FAM107A)

Family with sequence similarity 107 member A (FAM107A), commonly referred to as Down-regulated in renal cell carcinoma (DRR1), is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 3p21.1 (NCBI Gene ID: 11170). It was initially identified as a tumor suppressor gene that is frequently deleted or down-regulated in renal cell carcinoma and other malignancies (Wang et al., 2002, PubMed: 12068308). The protein product localizes to both the nucleus and cytoplasm, where it interacts with the actin cytoskeleton and alpha-actinin to modulate cell morphology and motility (UniProt: Q9H098). In the context of glioblastoma, FAM107A is often overexpressed and promotes cell invasion and migration, contrasting its role in other cancers (Le et al., 2010, PubMed: 20103611). It also plays a role in regulating the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis in certain cellular environments. As a therapeutic target, research focuses on modulating its expression levels or disrupting its interaction with cytoskeletal components to inhibit tumor progression. Its expression profile serves as a potential biomarker for cancer prognosis and therapeutic response, particularly in brain and renal tumors (PubMed: 21844213).

Other names

Down-regulated in renal cell carcinoma proteinDRR1TU3AProtein FAM107A

The primary therapeutic mechanism involves the modulation of FAM107A expression levels—either through restoration in cases of tumor suppression or through inhibition (e.g., via RNA interference) in cases where it promotes invasion—to control cell proliferation and migration (PubMed: 21844213).