Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2): A systematic review of its implications in pathogenesis

Khashayar Mozaffari; Mahlet Mekonnen; Maya Harary; Meachelle Lum; Brian Aguirre; Anubhav Chandla; Madhuri Wadehra; Isaac Yang

doi:10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151976

Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2): A systematic review of its implications in pathogenesis

Acta Histochem. 2023 Jan;125(1):151976. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151976. Epub 2022 Nov 28.

Authors

Khashayar Mozaffari¹, Mahlet Mekonnen¹, Maya Harary¹, Meachelle Lum¹, Brian Aguirre², Anubhav Chandla¹, Madhuri Wadehra², Isaac Yang³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States.
² Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: iyang@mednet.ucla.edu.

PMID: 36455339
DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151976

Abstract

Objectives: Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) is a cell surface protein composed of approximately 160 amino acids and encoded by the growth arrest-specific 3 (GAS3)/peripheral myelin protein 22 kDa (PMP22) gene family. Although EMP2 expression has been investigated in several diseases, much remains unknown regarding its mechanism of action and the extent of its role in pathogenesis. Our aim was to perform a systematic review on the involvement of EMP2 in disease processes and the current usage of anti-EMP2 therapies.

Methods: A Boolean search of the English-language medical literature was performed. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science were used to identify relevant citations. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results: 52 studies met the inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis. Of those, 28 (53.8%) were human-only studies, 11 (21.2%) were animal-only studies, and 13 (25%) studies included both human and animal models. Furthermore, 34 (65.4%) studies focused on EMP2's role in neoplasms, while the remaining 18 (34.6%) articles evaluated its role in other pathologies.

Conclusion: Overall, the evidence suggests the mechanisms of action of EMP2 are context dependent. Promising results have been produced by utilizing EMP2 as a biomarker and therapeutic target. More studies are warranted to better understand the mechanism and comprehend the role of EMP2 in the pathogenesis of diseases.

Keywords: Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2); angiogenesis; mechanism; oncogene; pathology.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Humans
Membrane Glycoproteins* / metabolism
Membrane Proteins*

Substances

Membrane Glycoproteins
Membrane Proteins
EMP2 protein, human