p53 and DNA damage-regulated protein 1 (PDRG1)

p53 and DNA damage-regulated protein 1 (PDRG1) is a novel, cancer-associated protein regulated by p53 status and cellular genotoxic stress. Located at chromosome 20q11.2, PDRG1 is frequently overexpressed in a variety of human malignancies. It is part of the R2TP/prefoldin-like molecular chaperone complex that facilitates correct folding of nascent polypeptides and the assembly of multi-subunit protein complexes, including RNA polymerase II. Functionally, PDRG1 promotes tumor cell proliferation and migration and is implicated in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and DNA repair. Loss of p53 upregulates PDRG1, and high cellular PDRG1 levels are correlated with poor cancer prognosis. Knockdown of PDRG1 suppresses tumor cell growth, highlighting its potential as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in cancer. PDRG1 interacts with apoptosis regulators and cell cycle proteins (e.g., PDCD7, CIZ1, MAP1S) and is involved in MAPK/ERK/CD44-driven cell adhesion and migration in glioblastoma. No approved drugs currently target PDRG1, but it is of interest for future oncology drug development.

Other names

p53 and DNA damage regulated 1PDRG1C20orf126PDRGdJ310O13.3Epididymis secretory sperm binding protein (less common, mainly in the context of tissue expression)

Not applicable; mechanisms are under investigation. Preclinical studies have shown that gene knockdown (e.g., shRNA) reduces cell proliferation, highlighting the importance of PDRG1 for tumor cell survival