Furthermore, MEPE expression was increased in the tumor tissue, blood and cervical exfoliated cells of cervical cancer patients, which was associated to the downregulated miR-758.
Acquired syndromes of renal phosphate wasting, hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia (tumour-associated osteomalacia) can be due to the excessive synthesis or release of phosphaturic factors (FGF23, FGF-7, MEPE and sFRP4) from mesenchymal tumours.
In addition, the specific expression of FGF-23 and MEPE in the TIO-associated tumor suggests an important role of these two phosphatonins in the pathogenesis of TIO.
The MEPE (matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein) gene is a strong candidate for the tumor-derived phosphaturic factor in oncogenic hypophosphatemic osteomalacia (OHO).