Ring Finger Protein 138 (RNF138)

RNF138 contains a RING finger, a motif present in a variety of functionally distinct proteins and known to be involved in protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been observed. RNF138 is an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase and together with NLK, is involved in the ubiquitination and degradation of TCF/LEF. RNF138 may act as a negative regulator in the Wnt/beta-catenin-mediated signaling pathway.

The present study demonstrates that the genes, RNF138, MT2A, and STEAP3 are differently expressed in the inflamed descending colon of smoking versus never-smoking CD patients, which might be of relevance for the poorer clinical course among CD smokers.