InterPro

The mas proto-oncogene was intially discovered following co-transfection with DNA isolated from a human epidermal carcinoma. It efficiently induces tumorigenicity and has weak focus-inducing activity in NIH 3T3 cells. To date, it is the only oncogene to have been sequenced that encodes a 7TM protein. The oncogene is a GPCR which binds the angiotensin-II metabolite angiotensin (1-7) [PMID: 12829792, PMID: 17293687]. It is therefore thought that MAS1 receptor agonists have similar therapeutic effects as angiotensin-II receptor antagonists including lowering blood pressure [PMID: 17214600]. In the CNS, high levels of the mas proto-oncogene transcript are present in the cerebral cortex, with lower amounts in the hippocampus and cerebellum. In the periphery, it is expressed in low levels in the kidney, adrenals and liver. The rat RTA protein has some similarity to the mas proto-oncogene sequence.