Small cell adhesion glycoprotein (SMAGP)

Small cell adhesion glycoprotein (SMAGP) is a small, highly conserved transmembrane glycoprotein approximately 97 amino acids in length, found in normal epithelial tissues at the plasma membrane, especially the lateral surfaces of cohesive, polarized epithelial cells. SMAGP plays a critical role in cell adhesion and the organization of epithelial tissue. In cancers such as glioblastoma and triple-negative breast cancer, SMAGP is upregulated and promotes malignancy by enhancing cell adhesion, viability, invasion, and colony formation—in part through modulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and matrix metalloproteinase activity. Loss of SMAGP expression can induce apoptosis or sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. SMAGP’s redistribution or reduced expression in tumors correlates with poor differentiation and disrupted epithelial architecture, making it a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in oncology.

Other names

HSMAGPMGC149453MGC149454small transmembrane and glycosylated proteinsmall cell transmembrane and glycosylated proteinsmall trans-membrane and glycosylated proteinhSMAGP

Modulation of signaling pathways (e.g., PI3K/Akt), Regulation of cell adhesion and polarity, Modulation of mitochondrial respiration for sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs