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Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a peptide hormone produced in pregnancy, that is made by the embryosoon after conception and later by the syncytiotrophoblast(part of the placenta). Its role is to prevent the disintegration of the corpus luteumof the ovaryand thereby maintain progesterone production that is critical for a pregnancy in humans. hCG may have additional functions, for instance it is thought that it affects the immune tolerance of the pregnancy. Early pregnancy testing generally is based on the detection or measurement of hCG.

UFM1 is a ubiquitin-like protein which is conjugated to target proteins by E1-like activating enzyme UBA5 and E2-like conjugating enzyme UFC1 in a manner equivalent to ubiquitylation. UFM1 localizes principally to the nucleus, but is also present in diffuse amounts in the cytoplasm. UFM1 is expressed in a variety of tissues, including kidney, brain, heart, liver and lung.

A main factor of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica strains is a plasmid-encoded type 3 secretion system, through which Yersinia outer proteins (Yops) are injected into the host cell. Yop E is a GTPase activation protein which controls pore formation by activating small Rho GTPase, causing inhibition of actin polymerization.

Serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 7 (SPINK7) which includes one Kazal-like domain is most likely serine protease inhibitor. Diseases linked with SPINK7 include esophageal cancer, and oral squamous cell carcinoma

VEGF-C, also known as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Related Protein (VRP), is a recently discovered VEGF growth factor family member that is most closely related to VEGF-D. The rat VEGFC cDNA encodes a pre-pro-protein of 416 amino acids residues.
It is almost identical to the mouse VEGF-C protein. Similar to VEGF-D, VEGF-C has a VEGF homology domain spanning the middle third of the precursor molecule and long N- and C-terminal extensions. In adults, VEGF-C is highly expressed in heart, placenta, ovary and small intestine. Recombinant rat VEGF-C, lacking the N- and C-terminal extensions and containing only the middle VEGF homology domain, forms primarily non-covalently linked dimers. This protein is a ligand for both VEGFR-2/KDR and VEGFR-3/FLT -4. Since VEGFR-3 is strongly expressed in lymphatic endothelial cells, it has been postulated that VEGF-C is involved in the regulation of the growth and/or differentiation of lymphatic endothelium. Although recombinant rat VEGF-C is also a mitogen for vascular endothelial cells, it is much less potent than VEGF-A.

Ribosomal Protein 4X (RPS4X) is ribosomal protein S4, a component of the 40S subunit which is a part from the S4E family of ribosomal proteins. Ribosomal protein S4 is the only ribosomal protein known to be encoded by more than one gene, that is RPS4X and ribosomal protein S4, Y-linked (RPS4Y). Both isoforms encoded by these genes are not the same, but are functionally alike.

MUC16, aka CA125, is a mucin protein that might be found in type I transmembrane or secreted forms that are used monitor the progress of epithelial ovarian cancer therapy.
The CA125 molecule is heterogeneous with regard to both size and charge, almost certainly due to continuous deglycosylation of side chains during its life-span in bodily fluids.
MUC16 is most likely a glycoprotein with a predominance of O-linkages.

VAMP8 also called endobrevin, is the main component of a SNARE complex involved in the docking and fusion of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic membrane. VAMP8 protein is involved in the regulatation of enzyme secretion in pancreatic acinar cells and plays a part in the abscission of the midbody during cell division, which leads to completely separate daughter cells. VAMP8 is essential for dense-granule secretion in platelets. VAMP8 is related with the perinuclear vesicular structures of the early endocytic compartment. VAMP8 interacts particularly with the soluble NSF-attachment protein (alpha-SNAP), through an VAMP8-containing SNARE complex.

Bcl-2–associated X protein (Bax) belongs to the Bcl-2 protein family. Bax is a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein containing BH1, BH2 and BH3 domains. Bax accelerates programmed cell death by binding to, and antagonizing the apoptosis repressor bcl2 or its adenovirus homolog e1b 19k protein. Bax induces the release of cytochrome c, activation of casp3, and thereby apoptosis. Bax is expressed in a wide variety of tissues, with highest levels in the testis and ovary. Tumor suppressor protein p53 upregulates the expression of BAX. Bax has been shown to be involved in p53-mediated apoptosis.

RAB3A Interacting Protein Like 1 (RAB3IL1) is a 382 amino acid protein which is a member of the SEC2 family. RAB3IL1 is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rab3A. RAB3IL1 competes for interaction with Rab3A and IHPK1 via its coiled coil domain, which doesn’t involve IHPK1 kinase activity.

AP-3 complex subunit sigma-1 (AP3S1) belongs to the AP-3 complex, an adapter-related complex which is not clathrin-associated. AP3S1 is linkd with the Golgi region in addition to more peripheral structures. AP3S1 facilitates the budding of vesicles from the Golgi membrane and involved in trafficking to lysosomes.

E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase RNF181 (RNF181) accepts ubiquitin from an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme in the thioester form and subsequently directly transfers the ubiquitin to targeted substrates. RNF181 is widely expressed, with the highest levels in the liver and heart and the lowest levels in the brain and skeletal muscle. RNF181 is also expressed in platelets (at protein level).

The GAGA factor is a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein, which participates in the regulation of the expression of a variety of different classes of genes in Drosophila such as many developmentally regulated genes, stress induced genes, and cell cycle regulated genes, as well as housekeeping genes. GAGA contains a C-terminal glutamine-rich domain and a highly conserved N-terminal POZ domain which reported to be involved in self-oligomerization in a number of other POZ domain containing proteins. In case of GAGA protein, the N-terminal POZ domain mediates the formation of oligomers both in vitro and in vivo.

CRK belongs to the signaling adapter protein family which binds to several tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins. CRK is involved in many cellular processes such as apoptosis, proliferation, and differentiation. CRK has a modular domain architecture consisting of an SH2 followed by two SH3 domains (src-homology domains). The N-terminal SH2 domain of the CRK protein functions as a positive regulator of transformation whereas the C-terminal SH3 domain functions as a negative regulator of transformation.

FAM3C is a member of the FAM3 family and holds a GG domain. Pancreatic cancer-derived cells demonstrate a difference in expression of this protein. FAM3C is a downstream target gene for the Nkx5-1 transcription factor, and there for takes part in cell differentiation and proliferation through inner ear embryogenesis. In addition, FAM3C has a role in retinal laminar formation and promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

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/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 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.

Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 3, also known as LAMP3 is part of the lysosome-associated membrane protein family. LAMP3 and CD68 share an extremely similar predicted structure. LAMP3 performs in dendritic cell function and in adaptive immunity as well. Furthermore, LAMP3 overexpression is actively involved in tumor invasion via increased migration into lymph-vascular spaces.

KRT20 is a member of the keratin family. The keratins are intermediate filament proteins responsible for the structural integrity of epithelial cells and are subdivided into cytokeratins and hair keratins. The type I cytokeratins consist of acidic proteins which are arranged in pairs of heterotypic keratin chains. This cytokeratin is a major cellular protein of mature enterocytes and goblet cells and is specifically expressed in the gastric and intestinal mucosa. The type I cytokeratin genes are clustered in a region of chromosome 17q12-q21.

HMGB3 is a member of the high mobility group (HMG) protein superfamily. HMGB3 holds DNA-binding HMG box domains, as do HMG1 and HMG2, and like the rest of the HMG protein superfamily members has a vital part in DNA replication, transcription and nucleosome assembly.

The adipose tissue exclusively expresses and secretes Adiponectin (Acrp30). Acrp30 is involved in various physiological processes such as energy homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, hormonal processes, fatty acid metabolism and obesity.
Adiponectin circulates in the plasma. Decreased levels of Adiponectin are associated with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, as seen in people with obesity insulin resistance, and diabetes type 2, whose plasma levels of adiponectin are reduced.
The modular structure of Acrp30 is comprised of N-terminal collagenous domain followed by a C-terminal globular domain.
Acrp30 also acts as a significant negative regulator in hematopoiesis and immune systems; it may be involved in ending inflammatory responses through its inhibitory functions. Adiponectin inhibits endothelial NF-kappa-b signaling through a cAMP-dependent pathway, it also inhibits TNF-alpha- induced expression of endothelial adhesion molecules.

Sperm Antigen With Calponin Homology And Coiled-Coil 1 (SPECC1) which is a part of the cytospin-A family takes part in cytokinesis and spindle organization. SPECC1 takes part in actin cytoskeleton organization and microtubule stabilization and therefore necessary for proper cell adhesion and migration.

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.

SPARC, an acronym for “secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine”, is also known as osteonectin or BM-40. It is the founding member of a family of secreted matricellular proteins with similar domain structure. The 303 amino acid, 43 kDa protein contains a 17 aa signal sequence, an N-terminal acidic region that binds calcium, a follistatin domain containing Kazal-like sequences, and a C-terminal extracellular calcium (EC) binding domain with two EF-hand motifs. SPARC is produced by fibroblasts, capillary endothelial cells, platelets and macrophages, especially in areas of tissue morphogenesis and remodeling. SPARC shows context-specific effects, but generally inhibits adhesion, spreading and proliferation, and promotes collagen matrix formation. For endothelial cells, SPARC disrupts focal adhesions and binds and sequesters PDGF and VEGF. SPARC is abundantly expressed in bone, where it promotes osteoblast differentiation and inhibits adipogenesis.

PFDN6 is a subunit of the heteromeric prefoldin complex that chaperones developing actin and alpha- and beta-tubulin chains until they are transferred to the cytosolic chaperonin containing TCP1 (CCT) complex. PFDN6 binds specifically to cytosolic chaperonin (c-CPN), transfers target proteins to it and bind to developing polypeptide chain to promote folding in a setting where there are many competing pathways for nonnative proteins.