FB2026_03 , released September 17, 2026
Human Disease Model Report: basal cell carcinoma, SMO-related
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General Information
Name
basal cell carcinoma, SMO-related
FlyBase ID
FBhh0001201
Disease Ontology Term
Parent Disease
OMIM
Overview

In basal cell carcinoma, somatic variants of the Hedgehog signaling pathway gene SMO have been identified. Two such variants have been investigated in Drosophila, using analogous mutations in the orthologous fly gene, smo. Variant(s) implicated in human disease tested (as analogous mutation in fly gene): K580Q in the fly smo gene (corresponds to R562Q in the human SMO gene); W553L in the fly smo gene (corresponds to W535L in the human SMO gene).

Control of smo localization appears to be a crucial step in Hedgehog signaling in Drosophila. Mutations analogous to those associated with human tumors result in the smo protein being constitutively present at the cell surface. Overexpression of the oncogenic mutants causes significant changes in wing patterning and anterior outgrowth.

See also the human disease model 'cancer, epithelial, Notch signaling, Hedgehog signaling' (FBhh0001075).

[updated Feb. 2020 by FlyBase; FBrf0222196]

Disease Summary Information
Disease Summary: basal cell carcinoma, SMO-related
OMIM report
Human gene(s) implicated
Symptoms and phenotype

Cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer among people of European ancestry (Stacey et al., 2009; pubmed:19578363). [from MIM:605462; 2020.02.26]

Genetics

The primary environmental risk factor for BCC is sun exposure, but genetics also has a substantial role. [from MIM:605462; 2020.02.26]

Cellular phenotype and pathology
Molecular information

Abnormalities in the Hedgehog signaling pathway are found in basal cell carcinomas. [from MIM:605462; 2020.02.26]

The protein encoded by SMO is a G protein-coupled receptor that interacts with the patched protein, a receptor for hedgehog proteins. The encoded protein tranduces signals to other proteins after activation by a hedgehog protein/patched protein complex. [Gene Cards, SMO; 2020.02.26]

Mutations in hedgehog pathway genes, primarily genes encoding patched homologue 1 (PTCH1) and smoothened homologue (SMO), occur in basal-cell carcinoma (Von Hoff, et al., 2009; pubmed:19726763).

An orally active small molecule inhibitor of SMO is used as a therapeutic for metastatic or locally advanced basal-cell carcinoma (originally described in Von Hoff, et al., 2009; pubmed:19726763).

External links
Disease synonyms
basal cell carcinoma, somatic
Ortholog Information
Human gene(s) in FlyBase
    Human gene (HGNC)
    D. melanogaster ortholog (based on DIOPT)
    Comments on ortholog(s)

    One to one: 1 human to 1 Drosophila.

    Other mammalian ortholog(s) used
      D. melanogaster Gene Information (1)
      Gene Snapshot
      smoothened (smo) encodes a critical component of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. It is regulated by phosphorylation, dimerization, and cell-surface accumulation upon Hedgehog stimulation. The product of smo is also regulated by ubiquitin and other small molecules such as phospholipids. [Date last reviewed: 2019-03-14]
      Gene Groups / Pathways
      Comments on ortholog(s)

      High-scoring ortholog of human SMO (1 Drosophila to 1 human). Dmel\smo shares 37% identity and 57% similarity with the human gene.

      Orthologs and Alignments from DRSC
      DIOPT - DRSC Integrative Ortholog Prediction Tool - Click the link below to search for orthologs in Humans
      Other Genes Used: Viral, Bacterial, Synthetic (0)
        Summary of Physical Interactions (37 groups)
        protein-protein
        Interacting group
        Assay
        References
        pull down, anti tag western blot, fluorescent resonance energy transfer, autoradiography, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer, fluorescence technology, fluorescence microscopy, anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti bait coimmunoprecipitation, western blot
        anti bait coimmunoprecipitation, peptide massfingerprinting, western blot
        anti bait coimmunoprecipitation, peptide massfingerprinting, fluorescent resonance energy transfer, anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot, anti tag western blot, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer, fluorescence technology, colocalization, fluorescence microscopy, inferred by author, tag visualisation, two hybrid, pull down
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot, two hybrid, colocalization, fluorescence microscopy, inferred by author, anti bait coimmunoprecipitation, western blot, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, peptide massfingerprinting
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        fluorescent resonance energy transfer, fluorescence microscopy, anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot, pull down
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot, western blot, pull down
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot, western blot, anti bait coimmunoprecipitation, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, fluorescence microscopy
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot
        pull down, anti tag western blot, anti tag coimmunoprecipitation
        anti bait coimmunoprecipitation, western blot, anti tag coimmunoprecipitation
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        isothermal titration calorimetry, predetermined participant, anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot, colocalization, fluorescence microscopy, inferred by author, two hybrid, pull down, molecular weight estimation by staining, x-ray crystallography
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti bait coimmunoprecipitation, western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, covalent binding, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, covalent binding, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot, anti bait coimmunoprecipitation
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot, pull down
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, anti tag western blot
        anti tag coimmunoprecipitation, western blot, pull down
        RNA-RNA
        Interacting group
        Assay
        References
        luminiscence technology, necessary binding region, fluorescence technology, immunohistochemistry
        fluorescence technology, immunocytochemistry, luminiscence technology, necessary binding region
        Alleles Reported to Model Human Disease (Disease Ontology) (2 alleles)
        Models Based on Experimental Evidence ( 1 )
        Allele
        Disease
        Evidence
        References
        Modifiers Based on Experimental Evidence ( 1 )
        Allele
        Disease
        Interaction
        References
        Alleles Representing Disease-Implicated Variants
        Genetic Tools, Stocks and Reagents
        Sources of Stocks
        Contact lab of origin for a reagent not available from a public stock center.
        Bloomington Stock Center Disease Page
        Related mammalian, viral, bacterial, or synthetic transgenes
        Allele
        Transgene
        Publicly Available Stocks
        Selected Drosophila transgenes
        Allele
        Transgene
        Publicly Available Stocks
        RNAi constructs available
        Allele
        Transgene
        Publicly Available Stocks
        Selected Drosophila classical alleles
        Allele
        Allele class
        Mutagen
        Publicly Available Stocks
        ethyl methanesulfonate
        References (5)