Disease relevance of Wasf3

• We have identified the WAVE3 gene from Chromosome (Chr) 13q12, as being involved in one of the breakpoints of a t(1:13)(q21:q12) reciprocal translocation, in a patient with ganglioneuroblastoma (Sossey-Alaoui et al. 2002; Oncogene 21: 5967-5974) [1].

High impact information on Wasf3

• WAVE3, an actin-polymerization gene, is truncated and inactivated as a result of a constitutional t(1;13)(q21;q12) chromosome translocation in a patient with ganglioneuroblastoma [2].
• From analysis of its expression pattern and function, WAVE3 is a candidate tumor suppressor gene, at least in some forms of neuroblastoma [2].
• WAVE3, therefore, is important for cell differentiation and motility and its expression is lost in a number of low grade and stage 4S tumors [2].
• The WAVE3 transcript is mainly expressed in the nervous system and, like all the members of the WASP gene family, WAVE3 is a key element in actin polymerization and cytoskeleton organization [2].
• Constitutive Rac activation translocates WAVE3 (via the N-terminus), to the leading edge of lamellipodia [3].

Biological context of Wasf3

• Positional cloning of the translocation breakpoint on chromosome 13 resulted in the mapping of the breakpoint between coding exon 2 and exon 3 of WAVE3, a member of WASP gene family [2].

Anatomical context of Wasf3

• WAVE3 was localized to dendritic spines via its N-terminal domain [3].

Other interactions of Wasf3

• Next, we found WAVE1, WAVE2 and WAVE3 [4].

References