GPX6: Glutathione Peroxidase 6
A selenium-dependent antioxidant enzyme with restricted expression in olfactory epithelium and potential roles in redox regulation
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | GPX6 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Glutathione Peroxidase 6 |
| Gene Type | protein-coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 6p21.1 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 28702 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/28702 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000124785 |
| UniProt ID | P59796 |
| OMIM ID | 607913 |
| HGNC ID | 4556 |
| Aliases | GPX5L, GPX6, GSHPx-6 |
Description
GPX6 (Glutathione Peroxidase 6) is a protein-coding gene that encodes a selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase enzyme. The protein catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide and organic hydroperoxides using glutathione as a reducing agent, thereby protecting cells from oxidative damage. GPX6 is uniquely expressed at high levels in the olfactory epithelium and is involved in olfactory function and redox homeostasis. It belongs to the glutathione peroxidase family, which includes eight members in humans (GPX1-8). GPX6 is the only family member that is both selenium-dependent and predominantly expressed in olfactory tissues.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Olfactory dysfunction | Impaired antioxidant defense in olfactory epithelium may contribute to loss of smell | Limited; inferred from expression pattern and functional homology |
| Chronic rhinosinusitis | Oxidative stress in nasal mucosa may involve altered GPX6 activity | Limited; based on expression in olfactory epithelium |
| Cancer (general) | Dysregulation of antioxidant enzymes can promote tumorigenesis; GPX6 methylation reported in some cancers | Limited; epigenetic studies suggest promoter hypermethylation in certain tumors |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Olfactory epithelium | 12.5 | High |
| Nasal mucosa | 8.3 | Medium |
| Testis | 2.1 | Low |
| Brain (cerebellum) | 1.0 | Low |
| Liver | 0.5 | Not detected |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HUVEC (umbilical vein endothelial) | 0.2 | Low expression |
| HEK 293 (embryonic kidney) | 0.1 | Not detected |
| A549 (lung carcinoma) | 0.3 | Low expression |
| MCF7 (breast carcinoma) | 0.1 | Not detected |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.337C>T (p.Arg113Cys) | Missense | Unknown | May affect selenium incorporation or catalytic activity |
| c.568G>A (p.Gly190Ser) | Missense | Unknown | Potential impact on protein stability |
| c.1A>G (p.Met1Val) | Start loss | Unknown | Likely loss of function |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Start-loss mutations (e.g., p.Met1Val) or missense variants affecting the active site selenocysteine residue are predicted to reduce or abolish enzymatic activity.
Gain of Function (GOF)
No gain-of-function mutations have been reported for GPX6.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No dominant-negative effects have been described for GPX6.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• Glutathione metabolism (KEGG: hsa00480)
• Reactive oxygen species degradation (Reactome: R-HSA-3299685)
Protein Summary
GPX6 is a 221-amino-acid selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase that contains a selenocysteine (Sec) residue at the active site, encoded by the UGA codon. The protein exists as a homotetramer and uses glutathione to reduce hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxides, protecting cells from oxidative damage. It is predominantly expressed in the olfactory epithelium, where it may play a role in odorant detection and protection against environmental oxidants. The protein is localized to the cytoplasm and is also found in extracellular exosomes. GPX6 is one of the least studied GPX family members, with limited functional characterization.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPX6 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ11863 | Human | 257202 | Details Get a Quote |
| GPX6 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ59323 | Human | 257202 | Details Get a Quote |
| GPX6 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ67788 | Human | 257202 | Details Get a Quote |
| GPX6 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ76171 | Human | 257202 | Details Get a Quote |
