TMEM244 Is a Long Non-Coding RNA Necessary for CTCL Cell Growth.

Transmembrane protein 244 (TMEM244) was annotated to be a member of the TMEM family, which are is a component of cell membranes and is involved in many cellular processes. To date, the expression of the TMEM244 protein has not been experimentally confirmed, and its function has not been clarified. Recently, the expression of the gene was acknowledged to be a diagnostic marker for Sézary syndrome, a rare cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). In this study, we aimed to determine the role of the gene in CTCL cells. Two CTCL cell lines were transfected with shRNAs targeting the transcript. The phenotypic effect of knockdown was validated using green fluorescent protein (GFP) growth competition assays and AnnexinV/7AAD staining. Western blot analysis was performed to identify the TMEM244 protein. Our results indicate that is not a protein-coding gene but a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that is necessary for the growth of CTCL cells.