Transmembrane protein 98 (TMEM98)

Transmembrane protein 98 (TMEM98) is a highly conserved, single-pass type II transmembrane protein encoded by the TMEM98 gene on chromosome 17. Its C-terminus is extracellular, and its N-terminus is cytoplasmic. TMEM98 is expressed in many tissues, notably the retina, and is required for normal eye size; mutations in the gene result in nanophthalmos, a disorder causing abnormally small eyes[4]. Functionally, TMEM98 promotes endothelial cell adhesion and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration by modulating pathways such as ERK and AKT/GSK3β and increasing expression of ICAM-1/VCAM-1, indicating a role in vascular pathophysiology[1]. TMEM98 also interacts with the transcription factor MYRF and inhibits MYRF’s self-cleavage, thereby influencing transcriptional regulation critical for retinal pigment epithelium development and possibly myelination[2][3]. In cancer, TMEM98 expression is associated with increased proliferation and migration of tumor cells, and is regulated by miR-29c-5p, particularly in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma[7]. TMEM98 may also be secreted and present in exosomes, with a potential immunological role in Th1 cell differentiation[7]. No drugs are known to target TMEM98, and no direct safety concerns have been noted, though its molecular and pathological roles continue to be explored.

Other names

UNQ536/PRO1079DKFZP564K1964Protein TADA1TADA1transmembrane protein 98TMEM98

no approved or studied TMEM98-targeting drugs; possible experimental modulation by siRNA or gene editing