Sushi-repeat-containing protein X-linked 2 (SRPX2) is a neural gene functioning in the speech and language center of the human brain; mutations in this gene lead to epilepsy, speech dyspraxia, mental retardation and cognitive disorders. Recently, SRPX2 was found to be a novel mediator of angiogenesis and can act as a ligand for the urokinase-type plasminogen activator, a protein that can facilitate invasive migration of sprouting endothelial cells. SRPX2 is also overexpressed in gastric cancer, leading to increased phosphorylation levels of focal adhesion kinase and enhanced cellular migration and adhesion, suggesting that SRPX2 may be a potential target in the treatment of metastatic cancers.
