Regulator of G protein signaling 4 or RGS4 is a protein which regulates G protein

G protein

G proteins are a family of proteins involved in transmitting chemical signals outside the cell, and causing changes inside the cell. They communicate signals from many hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling factors. G protein-coupled receptors are transmembrane receptors...

 signaling. A number of studies associate the RGS4 gene with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...

, while some fail to detect an association.

RGS4 is also of interest as one of the three main RGS proteins (along with RGS9

RGS9

Regulator of G-protein signalling 9, also known as RGS9, is a human gene, which codes for a protein involved in regulation of signal transduction inside cells...

 and RGS17

RGS17

Regulator of G-protein signaling 17 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RGS17 gene.This gene encodes a member of the regulator of G-protein signaling family. This protein contains a conserved, 120 amino acid motif called the RGS domain and a cysteine-rich region...

) involved in terminating signalling by the mu opioid receptor

Mu Opioid receptor

The μ-opioid receptors are a class of opioid receptors with high affinity for enkephalins and beta-endorphin but low affinity for dynorphins. They are also referred to as μ opioid peptide receptors. The prototypical μ receptor agonist is the opium alkaloid morphine; μ refers to morphine...

, and may be important in the development of tolerance to opioid drugs.

Interactions

RGS4 has been shown to interact

Protein-protein interaction

Protein–protein interactions occur when two or more proteins bind together, often to carry out their biological function. Many of the most important molecular processes in the cell such as DNA replication are carried out by large molecular machines that are built from a large number of protein...

 with ERBB3

ERBB3

Receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-3 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ERBB3 gene.It is thought that ERBB3, when activated, becomes a substrate for dimerization and subsequent phosphorylation by ERBB1, ERBB2 and ERBB4....

, GNAQ

GNAQ

Guanine nucleotide-binding protein G subunit alpha is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GNAQ gene.-Interactions:GNAQ has been shown to interact with Sodium-hydrogen antiporter 3 regulator 1, RIC8A, RGS16, Beta adrenergic receptor kinase, RGS4 and Bruton's tyrosine kinase.-Further reading:...

 and COPB2

COPB2

Coatomer subunit beta is a protein that in humans is encoded by the COPB2 gene.-Interactions:COPB2 has been shown to interact with RGS4, PRKCE and COPB1.-Further reading:...

.

Further reading