Semaphorin-5A (SEMA5A) (SEMA5A)

Semaphorin-5A (SEMA5A) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the semaphorin family, characterized by an N-terminal sema domain and seven thrombospondin type-1 repeats (UniProt Q13591) [1]. It serves as a critical guidance molecule during neural development, providing both attractive and repulsive signals for axonal growth and facilitating synaptogenesis (NCBI Gene 9037) [4]. Beyond the nervous system, SEMA5A is a potent pro-angiogenic factor that stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and migration. In clinical pathology, SEMA5A is significantly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), where genetic variants in its regulatory regions are linked to altered brain connectivity (Weiss et al., 2009) [2]. In oncology, the overexpression of SEMA5A mRNA and protein is observed in various malignancies, including pancreatic and gastric cancers, where it promotes tumor invasion and metastasis (Sadanandam et al., 2010) [3]. Therapeutic strategies targeting SEMA5A mRNA, such as RNA interference (RNAi), aim to reduce protein expression to inhibit tumor progression, though no such agents have reached clinical approval yet.

Other names

Semaphorin-FSEMAFSema FSemaphorin 5A

Reduction of SEMA5A protein levels through mRNA degradation (RNA interference) or inhibition of protein-protein interactions using monoclonal antibodies.