HER4

HER4‏‎ (also known as ErbB-4) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ERBB4 gene. It is a member of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases, which also includes ErbB1/EGFR, ErbB2/HER2, and ErbB3/HER3. These proteins play a critical role in the development and progression of human cancers.

Function

HER4 is a single-pass type I membrane protein that contains multiple Furin-like cysteine rich domains, a tyrosine kinase domain, a phosphotidylinositol-3 kinase binding site and a PDZ domain binding motif. The protein binds to and is activated by Neuregulins and other factors and induces a variety of cellular responses including mitogenesis and differentiation. Multiple proteolytic events allow for the release of a cytoplasmic fragment and an extracellular fragment.

Clinical significance

Alterations in the ERBB4 gene have been associated with cancer. For example, ERBB4 has been found to be amplified in some cases of breast cancer, and mutations in the gene have been associated with lung cancer. In addition, ERBB4 has been implicated in melanoma, colon cancer, and ovarian cancer.

See also

• ErbB
• Receptor tyrosine kinase
• Neuregulins

External links

• GeneCards - ERBB4