RGMB

Overview

RGMB (repulsive guidance molecule family member B) encodes a GPI-anchored cell-surface protein involved in BMP signaling and axon guidance, with expression in neural-crest-derived cell types. In normal human skin, RGMB marks the LowMut (low somatic mutation burden) melanocyte subpopulation that is enriched in hair follicles and associated with a neural-crest-like, invasive gene-expression state.

Alterations observed in the corpus

  • LowMut melanocyte subpopulation marker (neural-crest lineage): RGMB transcript expression characterizes the LowMut melanocyte subset in a normal-skin single-cell atlas — these cells harbor fewer UV-attributable (SBS7) mutations and instead show clock-like (SBS1/SBS5) mutation patterns. No somatic driver mutations in RGMB itself are reported. PMID:39975212

Cancer types (linked)

  • MEL / SKIN: RGMB expression aligns with the WIMMS “AXL/Neuronal/Invasive” and Belote et al. “MSC” melanocyte states, which have been linked to melanoma invasiveness and drug resistance in prior literature. The current paper establishes the normal-tissue context. PMID:39975212

Co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity

Therapeutic relevance

  • No direct therapeutic relevance reported in the current corpus. The LowMut state marked by RGMB may represent a UV-protected reservoir of melanocyte stem cells relevant to melanoma initiation biology.

Open questions

  • Whether RGMB expression in melanoma (as opposed to normal melanocytes) correlates with invasive or therapy-resistant phenotypes, as predicted by the cross-study state alignment, remains to be directly tested. PMID:39975212

Sources

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