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Cancer

Critical Roles of Fnip1 and Fnip2 in Kidney Tumor Suppression Revealed

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Investigators at Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. have discovered that two proteins, Fnip1 and Fnip2, play crucial roles in kidney tumor suppression in cooperation with Folliculin, a tumor suppressor for kidney cancer. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the importance of these proteins in preventing kidney cancer and may provide molecular targets for developing novel therapeutics.

Key Takeaways:

  • Fnip1 and Fnip2 are homologous binding partners of Folliculin, a tumor suppressor for kidney cancer.
  • The absolute mRNA copy number of Fnip2 is low relative to Fnip1 in organs that show phenotypes under Fnip1 deficiency.
  • Kidney-targeted Fnip1/Fnip2 double inactivation produces enlarged polycystic kidneys, similar to those seen in Folliculin-deficient kidneys.
  • Heterozygous Fnip1/homozygous Fnip2 double-knockout mice develop kidney cancer at 24 months of age, supporting the concept that Fnip1 and Fnip2 are essential for tumor-suppressive function of Folliculin.
  • The research suggests that FLCN, FNIP1, and FNIP2 interact with each other to suppress kidney tumorigenesis in human Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome.

Statistics:

  • 24 months: Age at which heterozygous Fnip1/homozygous Fnip2 double-knockout mice develop kidney cancer.
  • Absolute mRNA copy number of Fnip2: Low relative to Fnip1 in organs that show phenotypes under Fnip1 deficiency.
  • Kidney size and cystic histology: Enlarged polycystic kidneys are produced in kidney-targeted Fnip1/Fnip2 double inactivation.

*rossover: Fnip1/Fnip2 double-deficient kidneys do not require kidney-specific Flcn inactivation to produce enlarged polycystic kidneys.

Sources:

  • Folliculin-interacting proteins Fnip1 and Fnip2 play critical roles in kidney tumor suppression in cooperation with Flcn. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2015;112(13):E1624-E1631.
  • National Academy of Sciences - www.nasonline.org/
  • Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.

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