Testes-specific protease 50
(TSP50)

???

Gene: maps to 3p12-14.
mRNA: size: 1.7 kb. Northern analysis of 16 different types of normal human tissues showed that TSP50 was highly and specifically expressed in testes, which indicates that it might possess a unique biological function(s) in that organ. Methylation status analysis in normal human testes and other tissues showed a correlation between DNA methylation and gene expression (Yuan L. et al., 1999).
Protein: sequence analysis of TSP50 cDNA indicates a 385-amino acids protein. TSP50 is a homologue (~40% identity) to several human proteases, which indicates that it may encode a protease-like protein (Yuan L. et al., 1999).

Cell lines:

Tumors:
- RT-PCR analysis of 18 paired breast cancer tissues found that in 28% of the cancer samples, the TSP50 gene was differentially expressed. TSP50 might be an oncogene (Yuan L. et al., 1999).

Yuan L. et al. (1999) Isolation of a novel gene, TSP50, by a hypomethylated DNA fragment in human breast cancer. Cancer Res. 59, 3215-3221.

Under construction