WWC family member 3 (WWC3)

WWC family member 3 (WWC3) is a highly conserved scaffold protein within the WWC protein family, which also includes KIBRA (WWC1) and WWC2[1][2][3]. WWC3 contains two amino-terminal WW domains that facilitate binding to proteins with L/PPxY motifs and an internal C2 domain important for membrane association[1]. It participates in the regulation of the Hippo signaling pathway, where it negatively regulates cell proliferation and organ growth by suppressing the transcriptional activity of YAP, a key effector of the pathway[1][2][3]. WWC3 is able to form homo- and heterodimers with other WWC family members and shares common binding partners, such as DLC1 and aPKC[1]. WWC3 shows tissue-specific expression and is implicated in the regulation of cell polarity, apoptosis, and autophagy, especially in the context of certain cancers such as non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and glioma, where its loss is associated with increased malignancy and poor prognosis[2]. Furthermore, a genetic variant of WWC3 has been linked to neurological disorders, suggesting a role in brain function[1]. Unlike typical targets such as receptors or enzymes, WWC3 is primarily a scaffold/regulatory protein and is not currently a direct therapeutic target for drugs; no known pharmacological inhibitors or activators exist as of now[1][2][3].

Other names

Protein WWC3KIAA1280BM042