DENR (density-regulated protein), also designated DRP or smooth muscle cell associated protein 3 (SMAP-3), is a 198 amino acid protein that may be involved in the translation of target mRNAs by scanning and recognition of the initiation codon (1). It plays a role in the modulation of the translational profile of a subset of cancer-related mRNAs when recruited to the translational initiation complex by the oncogene MCTS1 (2,3). DENR contains a SUI1 domain and is found in a variety of tissues with highest levels present in skeletal and cardiac muscle. It is up-regulated in ovarian and breast cancer cells by ERBB2 overexpression (4).