Transmembrane and coiled-coil domain family 3 (TMCC3)

Transmembrane and coiled-coil domain family 3 (TMCC3) is a member of a small family of transmembrane proteins characterized by two coiled-coil domains and two transmembrane domains[1]. TMCC3 is primarily localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and is able to oligomerize, likely forming trimers and higher-order multimers[1]. It is highly expressed in the brain, testis, spinal cord, and developing tissues, with particular enrichment in certain cancer stem cell populations. TMCC3 interacts with the kinase AKT and regulates its phosphorylation, thereby contributing to cancer cell stemness, tumorigenicity, and metastasis in breast cancer[3]. Elevated TMCC3 expression correlates with poor prognosis in breast and liver cancers and may serve as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and immune therapy response[2][3]. Despite its clinical and mechanistic associations with cancer, detailed physiological functions outside malignancy remain incompletely understood[1].

Other names

KIAA1145

Modulation of AKT signaling (critical for self-renewal and metastasis in cancer stem cells)[3]