Ribophorin II (RPN2) (RPN2)

Ribophorin II (RPN2) is a highly conserved glycoprotein and a vital subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex, which resides in the membrane of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (UniProt P04844). Its primary biological function is to facilitate the N-linked glycosylation of nascent polypeptide chains, a process crucial for proper protein folding, stability, and trafficking (NCBI Gene 6185). In the context of oncology, RPN2 mRNA is often overexpressed and serves as a driver of multi-drug resistance (MDR) by regulating the glycosylation and membrane localization of P-glycoprotein (MDR1) (Honma et al., Nature Medicine, 2008). Additionally, RPN2 has been implicated in promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell phenotypes, making it a significant factor in tumor progression and metastasis (Takahashi et al., Nature Communications, 2015). Therapeutic strategies focusing on RPN2 mRNA typically utilize RNA interference (siRNA or shRNA) to silence the gene, thereby sensitizing resistant cancer cells to traditional chemotherapies like taxanes.

Other names

RPN-IIDolichyl-diphosphooligosaccharide--protein glycosyltransferase subunit 2RPN2

RNA interference-mediated gene silencing to reduce protein expression and restore drug sensitivity.