Although it is known that EMT is associated with not only cancer invasion but also acquisition of cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, the function of GPNMB in this acquisition of CSC properties has yet to be elucidated.
Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B is a type 1 transmembrane protein that has been recently found to play a role in cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and invasion.
ASPS tumor cells also demonstrated enhanced transendothelial migration activity, which was inhibited by silencing of <i>Gpnmb</i>, indicating that GPNMB plays an important role in tumor intravasation, a key step in cancer metastasis.
Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB), initially termed glycoprotein nonmetastatic gene B and also named osteoactivin (OA), is a type 1 transmembrane protein that has been recently found to play a role in cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and invasion.