%A Liu-luan Zhu, Ying Cui, Yong-sheng Chang and Fu-de Fang %T A Second Protein Marker of Caveolae: Caveolin-2 %0 Journal Article %D 2010 %J Chinese Medical Sciences Journal %R 10.1016/S1001-9294(10)60034-X %P 119-124 %V 25 %N 2 %U {http://cmsj.cams.cn/CN/abstract/article_35.shtml} %8 2010-06-10 %X Caveolin-2, a protein about 20 kD, is a major component of the inner surface of caveolae, small invaginations of the plasma membrane. Similar with caveolin-1 and caveolin-3, it serves as a protein marker of caveolae. Caveolin-1 and -2 are located next to each other at 7q31.1 on human chromosome, the proteins encoded are co-localized and form a stable hetero-oligomeric complex, distributing similarly in tissue and cultured cells. Caveolin-3 is located on different chromosomes but confirmed to interact with caveolin-2. Caveolin-2 is similar to caveolin-1 in many respects but differs from the latter in functional domains, especially in G-protein binding domain and caveolin scaffolding domain. The mRNAs of both caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 are most abundantly expressed in white adipose tissue and are induced during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells to adipocytes. Caveolin-2-deficinet mice demonstrate clear pulmonary defects, with little or no change in caveolin-1 expression and caveolae formation, suggesting that caveolin-2 plays a selective role in lung functions. Caveolin-2 is also involved in lipid metabolism and human cancers.