Search results

All three VEGF receptors belong to the class III subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) characterised by the seven immunoglobulin-like loops in the extracellular domain. The expression of VEGFR-1 to -3 is almost exclusively restricted to hematopoietic precursor cells, vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells and to the monocyte/macrophage lineage. They play key roles in vasculogenesis, hematopoiesis, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. The FLT-4 cDNA encodes a 1298 amino acid (aa) residue precursor protein with a 23 aa residue signal peptide. Mature VEGFR-3/FLT-4 is composed of a 751 aa residue extracellular domain, a 22 aa transmembrane domain and a 482 aa residue cytoplasmic domain. Both VEGF family members VEGF-C and VEGF-D have been shown to bind and activate VEGFR-3/FLT-4. The Flt-4 gene is widely expressed in the early embryo but becomes restricted to the lymphatic endothelial a latter stages of development. It is important for lymphangiogenesis.

TGFB2 is a 27.08 kDa protein having two identical 118 amino acid peptide chains linked by a single disulfide bond. TGFB2 is part of a family of five related cytokines that have an extensive variation of normal and neoplastic cells, indicating the importance of these homo-dimmer proteins as multi-functional regulators of cellular activity. The three mammalian isoforms of TGF-β (TGFb1, TGFb2 and TGFb3) signal through the same receptor and stimulate similar biological responses. They are involved in physiological processes as embryogenesis, tissue remodelling and wound healing.

The Fas receptor (CD95) mediates apoptotic signaling by Fas-ligand expressed on the surface of other cells. The Fas-FasL interaction plays an important role in the immune system and lack of this system leads to autoimmunity, indicating that Fas-mediated apoptosis removes self-reactive lymphocytes. Fas signaling is also involved in immune surveillance to remove transformed cells and virus infected cells. Binding of FAS to oligimerized FasL on another cell activates apoptotic signaling through a cytoplasmic domain termed the death domain that interacts with signaling adaptors including FAF, FADD and DAX to activate the caspase proteolytic cascade. Caspase-8 and caspase-10 are first activated, to then cleave and activate downstream caspases, and a variety of cellular substrates that lead to cell death. Caspases cleave nuclear lamins, causing the nucleus to break down and lose its normal structure and another caspase substrate is DFF, inducing cleavage and degradation of the genome. Other caspase substrates are involved in cytoskeletal structure, cell cycle regulation and signaling pathways. Activation of JNK kinase, activation of Jun, and production of ceramide may also play roles in Fas-mediated apoptosis. Activation of fas-mediated apoptosis is opposed by I-FLICE and FAP. Viruses and tumors may escape immune surveillance in part through suppression of fas-mediated apoptosis using similar mechanisms.

C1QTNF1 is a novel adipokine, providing a significant framework to further address the physiological functions and mechanisms of the action of this family of secreted glycoproteins in normal and disease states. C1QTNF1 increases the production of aldosterone. C1QTNF1 is vastly expressed in obese subjects as well as up-regulated in hypertensive patients, C1QTNF1 is identified molecular link between obesity and hypertension. C1QTNF1 expression may be associated with a low-grade chronic inflammation status in adipose tissues.

TCEA1 is a member of the TFS-II family. TCEA1 binds to Pol II and operates to cleave the emerging transcript, thus unlocking the complex and permitting transcription to continue. TCEA1 is localized to the nucleus and holds three independently-folding domains that are essential for accurate binding to Pol II. The arresting sites in are able to trap a certain segment of elongating RNA polymerases that goes through, causing in a locked ternary complex. Cleavage of the emerging transcript by S-II enables the renewal of elongation from the new 3'-terminus.

Cathepsin F ( CTSF) is a member of the peptidase C1 family. Cathepsins are papain familycysteine proteinases which are a main component of the lysosomal proteolytic system. The CTSF gene isubiquitously expressed, and it maps to chromosome 11q13, close to the gene encoding cathepsin W. CTSF plays a role in normal protein catabolism. CTSF involved in some degradative processes occurring in tumor progression since it is highly expressed in some cancer cell lines.

PSMF1 is a protein which hinders the activation of the proteasome by the 11S and 19S regulators. The 26S proteasome is a multicatalytic proteinase complex with an extremely ordered structure composed of 2 complexes, a 20S core and a 19S regulator. The 20S core is comprised of 4 rings of 28 non-identical subunits; 2 rings are composed of 7 alpha subunits and 2 rings are composed of 7 beta subunits.

Vascular endothelial growth factoris an important signaling proteininvolved in both vasculogenesisand angiogenesis. As its name implies, VEGF activity has been mostly studied on cells of the vascular endothelium, although it does have effects on a number of other cell types (e.g. stimulation monocyte/macrophagemigration, neurons, cancer cells, kidney epithelial cells ).VEGF mediates increased vascular permeability, induces angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth, promotes cell migration, and inhibits apoptosis. In vitro, VEGF has been shown to stimulate endothelial cell mitogenesisand cell migration. VEGF is also a vasodilator and increases microvascular permeability and was originally referred to as vascular permeability factor.
Elevated levels of this protein is linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

PLA2G7 is a secreted enzyme which catalyzes the degradation of platelet-activating factor to biologically inactive products. The PLA2G7 enzyme is produced by inflammatory cells and hydrolyzes oxidised phospholipids in LDL. In the blood, PLA2G7 goes mainly with LDL and less than 20% is coupled with HDL.
PLA2G7 is implicated in the development of atherosclerosis and is also a marker for cardiac disease. PLA2G7 might have a major physiologic effect in the presence of inflammatory bodily responses.
PLA2G7 alters the action of PAF (platelet-activating factor) by hydrolyzing the sn-2 ester bond to yield the biologically inactive lyso-PAF. PLA2G7 has specificity for substrates with a short residue at the sn-2 position. PLA2G7 is inactive against long-chain phospholipids.
PLA2G7 gene defects are the source of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase deficiency, which is a trait that is present in 27% of the Japanese population.

EIF1AY is comparable to eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1A (EIF1A). EIF1AY protein is essential for highest rate of protein biosynthesis. EIF1AY increases ribosome dissociation into subunits and is obligatory for the binding of the 43S complex (a 40S subunit, eIF2/GTP/Met-tRNAi and eIF3) to the 5' end of capped RNA.

KGF-2 is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. FGF family members possess broad mitogenic and cell survival activities, and are involved in a variety of biological processes, including embryonic development, cell growth, morphogenesis, tissue repair, tumor growth and invasion. FGF-10 exhibits mitogenic activity for keratinizing epidermal cells, but essentially no activity for fibroblasts, which is similar to the biological activity of FGF7. Studies of the mouse homolog of suggested that this gene is required for embryonic epidermal morphogenesis including brain development, lung morphogenesis, and initiation of lim bud formation. This gene is also implicated to be a primary factor in the process of wound healing.

Tumor necrosis factor is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that all stimulate the acute phase reaction. TNF is mainly secreted by macrophages.
TNF causes apoptotic cell death, cellular proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, tumorigenesis and viral replication, TNF is also involved in lipid metabolism, and coagulation. TNF's primary role is in the regulation of immune cells.
Dysregulation and, in particular, overproduction of TNF have been implicated in a variety of human diseases- autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

DDB1-and CUL4-associated factor (DCAF7) is involved in craniofacial development. The DCAF7 protein acts upstream of the EDN1 pathway and is essential for formation of the upper jaw equivalent, the palatoquadrate. The activity necessary for the EDN1 pathway function varies between the first and second arches. DCAF7 associates with DIAPH1 and controls GLI1 transcriptional activity. DCAF7 may be involved in normal and diseased skin development.

Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important signaling protein involved in both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.VEGF activity has been mostly studied on cells of the vascular endothelium, although it does have effects on a number of other cell types (e.g. stimulation monocyte/macrophage migration, neurons, cancer cells, kidney epithelial cells ).VEGF mediates increased vascular permeability, induces angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth, promotes cell migration, and inhibits apoptosis. In vitro, VEGF has been shown to stimulate endothelial cell mitogenesis and cell migration. VEGF is also a vasodilator and increases microvascular permeability and was originally referred to as vascular permeability factor.
Elevated levels of VEGF is linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in VEGF have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Platelet factor-4 is a 70-amino acid protein that is released from the alpha-granules of activated platelets . Its major physiologic role appears to be neutralization of molecules on the endothelial surface of blood vessels, thereby inhibiting local antithrombin III activity and promoting coagulation. As a strong chemoattractant for neutrophils and fibroblasts, PF4 probably has a role in inflammation and wound repair. Oncostatin-A is a member of the CXC chemocinfamily. Human PF4 is used for the proof of induced thrombocytopenia. Furthermore it is used as an inhibitor in the angiogenesis during tumor therapy.

TCEAL3 belongs to the transcription elongation factor A (SII)-like (TCEAL) gene family. TCEAL family members hold TFA domains and operate as nuclear phosphoproteins which control transcription in a promoter context-dependent fashion. Various family members are situated in the X chromosome.

Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) was first characterized as a growth factor that supports the in-vitro colony formation of granulocytes-macrophages progenitor cells. It is a pleiotropic cytokine and a member of a family of endogenous cytokines of the hematopoietic system. GM-CSF is produced as a response to immune or inflammatory stimuli by activated cells of the hematopoietic system such as T cells, B cells, macrophages, mast cells and also fibroblasts and alveolar epithelial cells. It plays an important role in regulating the proliferation, differentiation, survival and activation of hematopoietic cells such as granulocytes and monocytes ,neutrophiles, basophiles and eosonophoiles, erythroid cells, megakaryocytes and T cells.
Human and mouse GM-CSF have about 56% homology and are species specific. Human GM-CSF is not active on mouse cells and vice versa. It is active on canine and feline cells.
GMCSF is 144 amino acids, 22kDa glycoprotein. It is composed of four bundles alpha helices. Its receptor is heterodimers with a ligand-specific alpha subunit and a betac subunit that is shared with the interleukin IL-3 and IL-5 receptors. This unusual form of receptor assembly likely applies also to IL-3 and IL-5 receptors. Cross-linking the two receptor subunits is required for receptor activation and signaling .
GMCSF has been shown to be involved in maturation, mobilization and antigen presentation of myeloid dentritic cells (DCs) in-vivo or ex-vivo. This function promotes Th1 immune responses, cytotoxcity, anti-angiogenesis as well as allergic inflammation, and the development of autoimmunity. Therefore GMCSF can be used in immunotherapy for the treatment of immune suppressed and immune-compromised patients as well as in veterinary medicine for the same purpose. GM-CSF is also important in regulation of embryo development and pregnancy and specifically in embryo implantation and subsequent development .

NELFE is a vital component of NELF complex which represses RNA polymerase II transcript elongation. NELFE is similar to nuclear RNA-binding proteins but does not bind RNA. NELFE contains a tract of alternating basic and acidic residues, mainly arginine and aspartic acid.

Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important signaling protein involved in both vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. As its name implies, VEGF activity has been mostly studied on cells of the vascular endothelium, although it does have effects on a number of other cell types (e.g. stimulation monocyte/ macrophagemigration, neurons, cancer cells, kidney epithelial cells ).VEGF mediates increased vascular permeability, induces angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth, promotes cell migration, and inhibits apoptosis. In vitro, VEGF has been shown to stimulate endothelial cell mitogenesisand cell migration. VEGF is also a vasodilator and increases microvascular permeability and was originally referred to as vascular permeability factor.
Elevated levels of this protein are linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

PDGF-BB is a member of the platelet-derived growth factor family. The four members of this family are mitogenic factors for cells of mesenchymal origin and are characterized by a motif of eight cysteines. This gene product can exist either as a homodimer (PDGF-BB) or as a heterodimer with the platelet-derived growth factor alpha polypeptide (PDGF-AB), where the dimers are connected by disulfide bonds. Mutations in this gene are associated with meningioma. Reciprocal translocations between chromosomes 22 and 7, at sites where this gene and that for COL1A1 are located, are associated with a particular type of skin tumor called dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans resulting from unregulated expression of growth factor. Two splice variants have been identified for this gene.

Milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 protein (Mfge8) is pleiotropic secreted glycoprotein which promotes mammary gland morphogenesis, angiogenesis, and tumor progression. Mfge8 has also an imperative role in tissue homeostasis and the prevention of inflammation. Mfge8 functions as a bridge between phosphatidylserine on apoptotic cells and Integrin alpha V beta 3 on phagocytes, leading to the clearance of apoptotic debris.

Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important signaling protein involved in both vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. As its name implies, VEGF activity has been mostly studied on cells of the vascular endothelium, although it does have effects on a number of other cell types (e.g. stimulation monocyte/ macrophagemigration, neurons, cancer cells, kidney epithelial cells ).VEGF mediates increased vascular permeability, induces angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth, promotes cell migration, and inhibits apoptosis. In vitro, VEGF has been shown to stimulate endothelial cell mitogenesisand cell migration. VEGF is also a vasodilator and increases microvascular permeability and was originally referred to as vascular permeability factor.
Elevated levels of this protein are linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Omentin is a recently recognized gene highly localized to the mental tissue (visceral adipose tissue). Omentin is present in the stromal vascular cells in the adipose tissue rather than in the adipocytes. Omentin is predominantly expressed in the visceral adipose tissue than the subcutaneous tissue, with the omentin mRNA being 150 times higher in the visceral adipose tissue. Omentin has also been detected in human blood using western blot analysis, and seems to increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in mice. Omentin seems to increase Akt phosphorylation irrespective of insulin presence. Its role in glucose metabolism and obesity remains to be described; an insulin-sensitizing action is possible.Differences in Omentin expression has been noted in adipose tissue from normals and patients with inflammatory bowel disease although its significance is unknown.