LRIG1 Research Articles

Characterization and tissue-specific expression of human LRIG2

We have recently identified and cloned the human LRIG1 gene (formerly LIG1). LRIG1 is a predicted integral membrane protein with a domain organization reminiscent of the Drosophila epidermal growth factor (EGF)-receptor antagonist Kekkon-1. We have searched for additional members of the human LRIG family and identified LRIG2 ( KIAA0806). The LRIG2 gene was localized to chromosome 1p13 and had an open reading frame of 1065 amino acids. The LRIG2 protein was predicted to have the same domain organization as LRIG1 with a signal peptide, an extracellular part containing15 leucine-rich repeats and three immunoglobulin-like domains, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic tail. The LRIG2 amino acid sequence was 47% identical to human LRIG1 and mouse Lrig1 (also known as Lig-1). Northern blotting and RT-PCR revealed LRIG2 transcripts in all tissues analyzed. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR showed the most prominent RNA expression in skin, uterus, ovary, kidney, brain, small intestine, adrenal gland, and stomach. Immunoblotting of COS-7 cell lysates demonstrated that heterologously expressed human LRIG2 had an apparent molecular weight of 132 kDa under reducing gel-running conditions. N-glycosidase F treatment resulted in a reduction of the apparent molecular weight to 107 kDa, showing that LRIG2 was a glycoprotein carrying N-linked oligosaccharides. Cell surface biotinylation experiments and confocal fluorescence laser microscopy demonstrated expression of LRIG2 both at the cell surface and in the cytoplasm. LRIG2 was detected in tissue lysates from stomach, prostate, lung, and fetal brain by immunoblotting. In conclusion, LRIG2 was found to be a glycoprotein which was encoded by a gene on human chromosome 1p13 and its mRNA was present in all tissues analyzed.

The LRIG gene family has three vertebrate paralogs widely expressed in human and mouse tissues and a homolog in Ascidiacea

Human LRIG1 (formerly LIG1), human LRIG2, and mouse Lrig1 (also known as Lig- 1) encode integral membrane proteins. The human genes are located at chromosomes 3p14 and 1p13, which are regions frequently deleted in human cancers. We have searched for additional members of the LRIG family and by molecular cloning identified human LRIG3 and its mouse ortholog Lrig3. Human LRIG3 is located at chromosome 12q13. In silico analysis of public databases revealed a mouse Lrig2 mRNA, three LRIG homologs in the puffer fish Fugu rubripes, and one LRIG homolog in the ascidian tunicate Ciona intestinalis. The human and mouse LRIG polypeptides have the same predicted domain organization: a signal peptide, 15 tandem leucine-rich repeats with cysteine-rich N- and C-flanking domains, three immunoglobulin-like domains, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic tail. The extracellular part—especially the IgC2.2 domain, the transmembrane domain, and the membrane-proximal part of the cytoplasmic tail—are the most conserved regions. Northern blot analysis and real-time RT-PCR revealed that the three LRIG paralogs are widely expressed in human and mouse tissues. In conclusion, the LRIG gene family was found to have three widely expressed mammalian paralogs, corresponding orthologs in fish, and a homolog in Ascidiacea.

LRIG1 protein in human cells and tissues.

We have recently cloned the human LRIG1 gene (formerly LIG1). LRIG1 is a predicted integral cell-surface protein showing similarities to Kekkon-1, the Drosophila melanogaster epidermal growth-factor-receptor antagonist. A specific peptide antibody, LRIG1-151, was raised in rabbits and used to study the LRIG1 protein. LRIG1 migrated in denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions as two species with apparent molecular weights of 143 kDa and 134 kDa, and as two fragments corresponding to an N-terminal 111-kDa species and a C-terminal 32-kDa species. Under non-reducing conditions, both apparent monomers and apparent higher molecular weight complexes were evident. Immunoblotting analysis of cell-surface-biotinylated lysates and confocal microscopy revealed that LRIG1 was localized to the cell surface in ZR-75 cells expressing endogenous LRIG1 and in COS-7 cells expressing a synthetic LRIG1-GFP fusion protein. Immunohistochemical analysis of normal human tissues showed staining for LRIG1 in epithelia in various organs, scattered neurons, and muscles. Immunoblotting demonstrated LRIG1 protein in tissue lysates from normal human prostate, mammary epithelial cells, ileum, stomach, lung, and cerebral cortex. These results demonstrate that LRIG1 is an integral cell-surface membrane protein that is expressed by specific cells in various human tissues and that its 143-kDa form might be cleaved into 111-kDa and 32-kDa fragments.

Is LRIG1 a Tumour Suppressor Gene at Chromosome 3p14.3?

The LRIG1 gene (formerly LIG-1 ), recently cloned by us, displays structural similarities to the Drosophila Kek 1 gene. Kek 1 encodes a cell surface protein, Kekkon-1, which inhibits epidermal growth factor receptor-mediated signalling. We localized the LRIG1 gene to chromosome band 3p14.3, a region known to be deleted in various human cancers. In the present study LRIG1 gene expression was examined in different tumour cell lines and corresponding normal tissues by real-time RT-PCR. In many tumour cell lines, LRIG1 expression appeared absent or was down regulated compared to corresponding normal tissues. The results are consistent with LRIG1 being a tumour suppressor gene in humans. However, further studies are justified to elucidate the explicit role of LRIG1 as a negative regulator of oncogenesis.