Homeobox protein DBX2, also known as developing brain homeobox protein 2, is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''DBX2''

gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

. DBX2, a

homeodomain A homeobox is a Nucleic acid sequence, DNA sequence, around 180 base pairs long, that regulates large-scale anatomical features in the early stages of embryonic development. Mutations in a homeobox may change large-scale anatomical features of ...

-containing protein, plays an important role in the development of the central nervous system, specifically in the development of the neural tube and brain. The gene ''DBX2'' is located on chromosome 12 and is approximately 36,000 base pairs long. DBX2 is predicted to enable DNA-binding transcription activity as well as being involved in the regulation of transcription by

RNA polymerase II RNA polymerase II (RNAP II and Pol II) is a Protein complex, multiprotein complex that Transcription (biology), transcribes DNA into precursors of messenger RNA (mRNA) and most small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and microRNA. It is one of the three RNA pol ...

Identification

Dbx (developing brain homeobox) was first isolated from a gestational day 13.5 mouse in 1992. There are two Dbx genes ( DBX1 and DBX2) which are both important for development of the central nervous system. DBX2 shows conserved expression patterns in the developing brain and spinal cord and plays an important role in neural patterning and differentiation.

Associated diseases

DBX2 has been found to play an important role in the development of

glioblastoma Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain, and has a very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nons ...

which is a lethal brain cancer with poor prognosis. A high expression of DBX2 has been linked to large tumor size in

hepatocellular carcinoma Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer in adults and is currently the most common cause of death in people with cirrhosis. HCC is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. HCC most common ...

while downregulated expression of DBX2 has been associated with

endometrial cancer Endometrial cancer is a cancer that arises from the endometrium (the epithelium, lining of the uterus or womb). It is the result of the abnormal growth of cells (biology), cells that can invade or spread to other parts of the body. The first s ...

References

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