Folate Receptor 3 Gamma (FOLR3)

Levels of cell membrane-associated folate receptors (FOLR) are elevated in a variety of malignant tissues compared to their normal counterparts. FOLR3 encodes a member of the folate receptor (FOLR) family, members of which have a high affinity for folic acid and for several reduced folic acid derivatives, and mediate delivery of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate to the interior of cells. This gene includes two polymorphic variants; the shorter one has two base deletion in the CDS, resulting in a truncated polypeptide, compared to the longer one. Both protein products are constitutively secreted in hematopoietic tissues and are potential serum marker for certain hematopoietic malignancies. The longer protein has a 71% and 79% sequence homology with the FOLR1 and FOLR2 proteins, respectively.Spleen, thymus, bone marrow, ovarian carcinoma, and uterine carcinoma.