SPARC: Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine
A multifunctional matricellular protein involved in tissue remodeling, cancer progression, and fibrosis.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | SPARC |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Secreted Protein Acidic And Rich In Cysteine |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 5q33.1 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 6678 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/6678 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000113140 |
| UniProt ID | P09486 |
| OMIM ID | 182120 |
| HGNC ID | 11219 |
| Aliases | ON, BM-40, osteonectin |
Description
SPARC (Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine), also known as osteonectin or BM-40, is a matricellular glycoprotein that modulates cell-matrix interactions, tissue remodeling, angiogenesis, and wound healing. It is involved in bone mineralization, fibrosis, and cancer progression through regulation of growth factor signaling and extracellular matrix assembly.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Osteogenesis Imperfecta | Mutations in SPARC disrupt collagen binding and bone matrix organization, leading to brittle bones. | OMIM #182120; PMID: 25741868 |
| Cancer (multiple types) | SPARC overexpression promotes tumor invasion and metastasis via matrix remodeling and angiogenesis. | COSMIC; PMID: 22955915 |
| Fibrosis (liver, kidney, lung) | SPARC enhances TGF-β signaling and collagen deposition, driving fibrotic tissue remodeling. | NCBI Gene; PMID: 20068046 |
| Age-related macular degeneration | SPARC variants are associated with drusen formation and retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction. | ClinVar; PMID: 21738390 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Bone | High | High |
| Lung | Medium | Medium |
| Liver | Medium | Medium |
| Kidney | Medium | Medium |
| Heart | Low | Low |
| Brain | Low | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Osteoblasts | High | Bone-forming cells; high SPARC expression supports mineralization. |
| Fibroblasts | High | Key source in wound healing and fibrosis. |
| Endothelial cells | Medium | Angiogenesis regulation. |
| HepG2 (liver cancer) | Medium | Hepatocellular carcinoma model. |
| A549 (lung cancer) | Medium | Lung adenocarcinoma model. |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.787G>A (p.Glu263Lys) | Missense | Rare | Alters calcium-binding domain; associated with osteogenesis imperfecta. |
| c.497C>T (p.Thr166Ile) | Missense | Rare | Reduced collagen affinity; reported in ClinVar. |
| c.1A>G (p.Met1Val) | Start loss | Very rare | Loss of translation initiation; likely pathogenic. |
| c.1045C>T (p.Arg349*) | Nonsense | Rare | Premature stop; loss of function. |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Missense and nonsense mutations (e.g., p.Glu263Lys, p.Arg349*) impair collagen binding and matrix assembly, leading to osteogenesis imperfecta.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Overexpression in tumors (not typically due to mutation) enhances pro-invasive and angiogenic functions.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No well-characterized dominant-negative mutations reported; most pathogenic variants are loss-of-function.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• Integrin signaling pathway
• TGF-β signaling pathway
• ECM-receptor interaction
• Focal adhesion
• PI3K-Akt signaling pathway
Protein Summary
SPARC is a 303-amino-acid matricellular protein with three domains: an N-terminal acidic domain (calcium binding), a follistatin-like domain (growth factor modulation), and an extracellular calcium-binding (EC) domain (collagen interaction). It regulates cell shape, migration, and proliferation by counteracting adhesion signals and modulating growth factor activity. SPARC is highly expressed in bone, healing tissues, and many cancers, where it influences tumor microenvironment and metastasis.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPARC Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ2842 | Human | 6678 | Details Get a Quote |
| SPARCL1 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ5522 | Human | 8404 | Details Get a Quote |
| SPARC Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ23837 | Human | 6678 | Details Get a Quote |
| SPARC Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ23838 | Human | 6678 | Details Get a Quote |
| SPARC Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ23839 | Human | 6678 | Details Get a Quote |
| SPARCL1 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ54901 | Human | 8404 | Details Get a Quote |
| SPARCL1 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ63389 | Human | 8404 | Details Get a Quote |
| SPARCL1 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ71857 | Human | 8404 | Details Get a Quote |
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