Sperm antigen with calponin homology and coiled-coil domains 1 (SPECC1)

Sperm antigen with calponin homology and coiled-coil domains 1 (SPECC1) is a protein primarily localized in the nucleus and belongs to the cytospin-A family. It contains coiled-coil domains and a calponin homology region, facilitating protein–protein interactions and nucleocytoskeletal organization. SPECC1 expression is generally low in healthy tissues except for the testis, but it is markedly elevated in various cancer cell lines. In cancer biology, it has gained interest due to its ability to induce apoptosis by p73-mediated signaling independent of p53 and caspase 3, implicating roles in cell cycle regulation and RNA processing by scaffolding nuclear protein complexes such as B23 (nucleolar) and hnRNP-L (RNA metabolism). SPECC1 is also implicated in chromosomal translocation events with PDGFRB in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, suggesting relevance in hematologic malignancies. No targeted drugs or clinical therapies currently exist, though its differential expression, apoptotic induction, and involvement in cancer pathways make it a subject of ongoing research in cancer and cellular biology.

Other names

Cytospin-BCYTSBNSP5HCMOGT-1FLJ36955NSPNuclear structure protein 5Sperm antigen HCMOGT-1Cytokinesis and spindle organization BNuclear structure protein NSP5a3a / NSP5a3b / NSP5b3a / NSP5b3b

Not established; experimental studies suggest apoptosis induction via p73-dependent signaling axes, but no confirmed targeted therapies or drugs