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Borrelia belongs to a genus of bacteria of the spirochete phylum. Borrelia causes borreliosis, which is a zoonotic, vector-borne disease transmitted mainly by ticks and some by lice, depending on the species. Of the 36 known species of Borrelia, 12 are distinguished to cause Lyme disease or borreliosis and are transmitted by ticks. The main Borrelia species causing Lyme disease are Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii. The Borrelia genus members have a linear chromosome which is about 900 kbp in length as well as an excess of both linear and circular plasmids in the 5-220 kbp size range. The plasmids are atypical, as compared to most bacterial plasmids, since they contain many paralogous sequences, a large number of pseudogenes and, in some cases, essential genes. Moreover, a number of the plasmids have features suggesting that they are prophages.

Recombinant Human Sonic Hedgehog is part of a small group of secreted proteins that are vital for development in both vertebrates and invertebrates. 3 mammalian hedgehog genes (sonic, desert, Indian) share about 60% homology. The Human Sonic Hedgehog is 99% homologous to the mouse gene. Sonic HedgeHog is a protein that is vital in guding the early embryo. It has been associated as the major inductive signal in patterning of the ventral neural tube, the anterior-posterior limb axis, and the ventral somites. Sonic HedgeHog binds to the patched receptor, which functions in association with smoothened, to activate the transcription of target genes. In the absence of sonic HedgeHog, patched receptor represses the constitutive signaling activity of smoothened. Sonic HedgeHog also regulates another factor, the gli oncogene. Sonic HedgeHog intercellular signal is essential for a various patterning events during development: signal produced by the notochord that induces ventral cell fate in the neural tube and somites, and the polarizing signal for patterning of the anterior-posterior axis of the developing limb bud. Sonic HedgeHog exhibits both floor plate- and motor neuron-inducing activity. Mutations in a long-range Sonic HedgeHog enhancer located in an intron of the limb region 1 gene result in preaxial polydactyly.

Caused by one of four closely related virus serotypes of the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae, each serotype is sufficiently different that there is no cross-protection and epidemics caused by multiple serotypes (hyperendemicity) can occur. In cell culture experiments and mice Morpholino antisense oligos have shown specific activity against Dengue virus.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important signaling protein involved in vessel formation 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 vasculogenesis and endothelial cell production, 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. VEGF is located in normal cartilage though only osteoarthritic cartilage expresses the VEGF receptors, NP1, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2. The VEGF level in the culture media from OA chondrocytes was more than 3 folds higher than in media from normal chondrocytes

Borrelia is a part of the genus of bacteria of the spirochete phylum. Borrelia causes borreliosis, which is a zoonotic, vector-borne disease transmitted mainly by ticks and some by lice, depending on the species. Of the 36 known species of Borrelia, 12 are distinguished to cause Lyme disease or borreliosis and are transmitted by ticks. The main Borrelia species causing Lyme disease are Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii. Borreliella garinii DbpA demonstrates the typical lipid anchor and decorin/glycoaminoglycon binding properties of a DbpA protein.

A 16-kDa peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes and implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. Leptin provides the key afferent signal from fat cells in the feedback system that controls body fat stores.

A 16-kDa peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes and implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. Leptin provides the key afferent signal from fat cells in the feedback system that controls body fat stores.

A 16-kDa peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes and implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. Leptin provides the key afferent signal from fat cells in the feedback system that controls body fat stores.

Human coronavirus NL63 also known as HCoV-NL63 is a type of coronavirus that was identified in 2004. Among the associated diseases are mild to moderate upper respiratory tract infections, bronchiolitis, severe lower respiratory tract infection and croup. Coronavirus NL63 appears mainly in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory illness. Coronavirus NL63 has a seasonal association in temperate climates. Coronavirus NL63 is not an emerging virus, but rather one that continually circulates the human population. Transmission of HCoV-NL63 is likely through droplet expulsion from the respiratory tract, which may be cottages when close personal contact occurs. Coronavirus NL63 is able to endure for up to7 days in respiratory secretions and remains infective at room temperature. Once the virus has entered the host it binds to cellular receptors using spike proteins, similar to those found in HIV-1. Coronavirus NL63 is able to use Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as an entry receptor to target cells. Since coronavirus NL63 is a positive single-stranded RNA virus, the processes of replication via transcription and translation can be carried out in the cytoplasm of the infected cell.

A 16-kDa peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes and implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. Leptin provides the key afferent signal from fat cells in the feedback system that controls body fat stores.

PLAUR is one of 2 activators which convert the extracellular zymogen plasminogen to plasmin, a serine protease involved in a various normal and pathological processes that require cell migration and/or tissue destruction. PLAUR protein is synthesized and released from cells as a single-chain proenzyme with narrow enzymatic activity and is converted to an active two-chain disulfide-linked active enzyme by plasmin and other specific proteinases.

GCDH is part of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase family. GCDH is localized in the mitochondrial matrix as a homotetramer of 45-kD subunits. GCDH catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of glutaryl-CoA to crotonyl-CoA and CO(2) in the degradative pathway of L-lysine, L-hydroxylysine, and L-tryptophan metabolism. GCDH uses electron transfer flavoprotein as its electron acceptor.

VEGF-D belongs to the VEGF/PDGF family of proteins. VEGF-D promotes lymphangiogesis, endothelial cell growth, and regulates vascular permeability. In addition, VEGF-D has an important part in the creation of the venous and lymphatic vascular systems and in the growth and maintenance of differentiated lymphatic endothelium Mature VEGF-D forms a noncovalently linked homodimer, and binds to and activate both VEGFR-2 (flk1) and VEGFR-3 (flt4).

Osteopontin is a glycoprotein that was primarilyfound in osteoblasts and takes part in bone remodeling, immune functions in fibroblasts, macrophages, & lymphocytes during inflammation and wound healing. SPP1 highlybinds to hydroxyapatite. SPP1 forms an integral part of the mineralized matrix. SPP1 is vital to cell-matrix interaction.
Secreted Phosphoprotein-1 protects against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury through late preconditioning. Expression of Ostepontin and CD44 in hepatocellular carcinoma is linked to advanced tumor stage &leads to prognosis information. SPP1 is the most over-expressed gene in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Secreted Phosphoprotein-1 overexpression is related with interstitial lung diseases.

GDF10 is a member of the BMP family and the TGF-beta superfamily. GDF10 is expressed in femur, brain, lung, skeletal, muscle, pancreas and testis, and has a role in head formation and possibly multiple roles in skeletal morphogenesis. In humans, GDF10 mRNA is found in the cochlea and lung of fetuses, and in testis, retina, pineal gland, and other neural tissues of adults. The BMP family members are regulators of cell growth and differentiation in both embryonic and adult tissues. These proteins are characterized by a polybasic proteolytic processing site which is cleaved to produce a mature protein containing 7 conserved cysteine residues.

MBP is a major component of the myelin sheath of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in the nervous system, although, MBP-related transcripts are also present in the bone marrow and the immune system. These mRNAs emerge from the long MBP gene which holds three additional exons located upstream of the classic MBP exons. The Golli mRNAs contain three exons unique to Golli-MBP, spliced in-frame to one or more MBP exons. The second family of transcripts contains only MBP exons and produces the well characterized myelin basic proteins. MBP transcription unit is an essential part of the Golli transcription unit and the arrangement is important for the function and/or regulation of these genes.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are a type of glycolipids on the outer cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (aka LBP) is a plasma protein which facilitates the diffusion of bacterial LPS (endotoxin). LBP is involved in the acute-phase immunologic response to gram-negative bacterial infections. In cooperation with bactericidal permeability-increasing protein (BPI), LBP binds LPS and interacts with the CD14 receptor, most likely playing a role in regulating LPS-dependent monocyte responses. LBP belongs to a family of structurally and functionally related proteins, including BPI, plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP). The LBP gene is found on chromosome 20, directly downstream of the BPI gene. LBP catalyzes the transfer of LPS monomers from LPS aggregates to HDL particles, to phospholipid bilayers, and to a binding site on soluble CD14 (sCD14). sCD14 is capable of speeding up the transfer by receiving an LPS monomer from an LPS aggregate, and then yielding it to an HDL particle, therefore acting as a soluble "shuttle" for an insoluble lipid.

CCL15, a new human CC chemokine, was isolated from a human fetal spleen cDNA library. CCL15 cDNA encodes a predicted 113 amino acid (aa) protein containing a putative signal peptide of 21 amino acids that is cleaved to generate a 92 aa residue mature protein. Within the CC family members, human CCL15 shares 45%, 44%, 35%, and 30% aa homology with mouse C10, human MPIF-1, human HCC-1, and mouse MIP-1?, respectively. The gene for MIP-5 is found on chromosome 17 where the genes for most of the human CC chemokines are located. Human CCL15 is expressed in T and B lymphocytes, NK cells, monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Human MIP-5 is chemotactic for T cells and monocytes and has been shown to induce calcium flux in human CCR-1-transfected cells.

sRANK Receptor is a part of of the TNF superfamily of ligands and receptors which participates in the regulation of specific immunity and bone turnover. sRANK Receptor was originally acknowledged as a dendritic-cell-membrane protein, which by interacting with RANKL augments the capacity of dendritic cells to stimulate naive T cell proliferation and to endorse the survival of RANK and T cells. The full length human RANK cDNA encodes a type I transmembrane protein of 616 amino acids with a predicted 183 amino acid extracellular domain and a 383 amino acid cytoplasmic domain. sRANK Receptor is also expressed in a various tissues including skeletal muscle, thymus, liver, colon, small intestine and adrenal gland.

RELM-beta (Resistin-Like Molecule-beta) is a member of a recently identified family of secreted proteins containing a conserved cystein-rich C-terminus. The RELM family consists of resistin (also called FIZZ3), RELM-alfa (FIZZ1), RELM-beta (FIZZ2) and RELM-gamma. Only resisistin and RELM-beta were found in humans whereas all four RELM family members were identified in rodents.
RELM-beta appears to be produced as a homodimer exclusively by intestinal goblet cells and can be found in high quantities in stool. Remarkably, stool of germ-free mice displaying sterile intestinal tract does not contain RELM-beta until bacterial colonization takes place after pathogen-free mice entered natural environment. Some, but not all, colon carcinoma cell lines secrete RELM-beta into the cell culture supernatant.
The physiological function of RELM-beta is not known. High doses of recombinant RELM-beta showed hyperglycemic effects including lowered glucose disposal and increased hepatic glucose production in mice.

DERP1 is a thiol protease, with a preference for substrates with a large hydrophobic side chain in the P2 position, or with basic residues. DERP1 is a C1 peptidase family member. DERP1 has extensive endopeptidase specificity. DERP1 is N-glycosylated. N-glycanase treatment does not completely remove carbohydrates, suggesting that the protein contains additional glycosylation sites. DERP1 causes an allergic reaction in humans. Common symptoms of mite allergy are bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis. DERP1 binds to IgE in 80% of patients with house dust allergy.

A 16-kDa peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes and implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. Leptin provides the key afferent signal from fat cells in the feedback system that controls body fat stores.

Plasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite, one of the species of Plasmodium that cause malaria. Malaria parasites are members of the Apicomplexa. Apicomplexa are characterized by a set of organelles found in some stages of the parasite's life cycle. These organelles, collectively known as apical organelles because of their localization at one end of the parasite, are involved in interactions between the parasite and host. In particular, the apical organelles have been implicated in the process of host cell invasion. In the case of Plasmodium, three distinct invasive forms have been identified: sporozoite, merozoite, and ookinete.