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Stem cell factor / KIT ligand (SCF) is a cytokine which binds CD117(c-Kit). SCF is also known as "steel factor" or "c-kit ligand". SCF exists in two forms, cell surface bound SCF and soluble (or free) SCF. Soluble SCF is produced by the cleavage of surface bound SCF by metalloproteases. SCF is a growth factor important for the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells and other hematopoietic progenitor cells. One of its roles is to change the BFU-E (burst-forming unit-erythroid) cells, which are the earliest erythrocyte precursors in the erythrocytic series, into the CFU-E (colony-forming unit-erythroid).

GDF8 is a member of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family and the TGF-beta superfamily. This group of proteins is characterized by a polybasic proteolytic processing site which is cleaved to produce a mature protein containing seven conserved cysteine residues. The members of this family are regulators of cell growth and differentiation in both embryonic and adult tissues. This gene is thought to encode a secreted protein which negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth.

Sialic Acid Binding Ig Like Lectin 9 (SIGLEC9) is a member of the sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin family, which is a part of the immunoglobulin superfamily expressed mostly on human blood leukocytes. SIGLEC9 is a Putative adhesion molecule which is expressed in bone marrow, placenta, spleen, and fetal liver. SIGLEC9 is also a part of the recently characterized CD33-related Siglec family of sialic acid binding protein.

AURKA (Aurora Kinase A) belongs to the mitotic serine/threonine kinases family. AURKA is a cell cycle-regulated kinase which may be involved in microtubule formation and/or stabilization at the spindle pole during chromosome segregation. AURKA is found at the centrosome in interphase cells and at the spindle poles in mitosis. Since the AURKA expression is cell-cycle regulated, it is low in G1/S, it accumulates during G2/M, and it decreases rapidly after. AURKA is involved in important processes during mitosis and meiosis whose proper function is essential for healthy cell proliferation. In addition, AURKA plays an essential role in tumourigenesis and is overexpressed in various types of cancers. AURKA is strongly expressed in the testis, colon, ovarian, prostate, neuroblastoma, breast and cervical cancer cell lines and weakly in skeletal muscle, thymus and spleen. AURKA interacts with its substrates BORA and ARHGEF2, as well as with TACC1 and CPEB1.
Defects in the AURKA gene cause numerical centrosome aberrations including aneuploidy. AURKA overexpression has been linked to chromosomal instability in colorectal cancer. AURKA expression may have a prognostic significance in ovarian carcinoma.

Sclerostin (SOST) is a secreted glycoprotein with a C-terminal cysteine knot-like (CTCK) domain and sequence similarity to the DAN (differential screening-selected gene aberrative in neuroblastoma) family of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists. Sclerostin functions as a negative regulator of bone growth, by inhibiting bone formation. SOST is widely expressed at low levels, with highest levels in the bone, cartilage, kidney, liver, bone marrow and primary osteoblasts differentiated for 21 days. SOST gene defects cause sclerosteosis and bone dysplasia.

Energy Homeostasis Associated (ENHO) participates in glucose homeostasis maintenance and lipid metabolism. ENHO is expressed in the liver and the brain. The role of ENHO in obesity or diabetes is studied.

BID is a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein having only the BH3 domain. In reaction to apoptotic signaling, BID interacts with another Bcl-2 family of cell death regulators, called Bax, they form a heterodimer resulting to the insertion of Bax into the outer mitochondrial membrane. Bax induces the opening of the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel which lead to the release of cytochrome c and other pro-apoptotic factors from the mitochondria resulting in activation of caspases. BID is a mediator of mitochondrial damage induced by caspase-8 (CASP8). CASP8 cleaves BID, and the COOH-terminal part translocates to mitochondria where it triggers cytochrome c release. The major proteolytic product p15 BID releasea cytochrome c. Isoform 1, Isoform 2 and Isoform 4 induce ice-like proteases and apoptosis while Isoform 3 does not induce apoptosis.

Fc Fragment Of IgG Receptor And Transporter also known as FCGRT is a transmembrane glycoprotein with structural homology to MHC class 1 proteins. FCGRT is widely expressed in endothelial and epithelial cells and takes a vital part in IgG homeostasis. Moreover, FCGRT is expressed in neutrophils in addition myeloid antigen presenting cells. FCGRT can enhance IgG-meditated phagocytosis as well as antigen presentation by heses cells, however it promotes the degradation of opsonizing IgG rather than returning it to the circulation.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen-Related Cell Adhesion Molecule 7 (CEACAM7) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, CEA family. CEACAM7 contains 1 Ig-like C2-type (immunoglobulin-like) domain and 1 Ig-like V-type (immunoglobulin-like) domain. CEACAM7 is intensely down-regulated in colonic adenocarcinomas.

Galectin-3 mediates with the alpha-3, beta-1 integrin the stimulation by cspg4 of endothelial cells migration. Galectin-3 plays an necessary part during the acquisition of vasculogenic mimicry and angiogenic properties associated with melanoma progression. LGALS3 overexpression is highly expressed in early stages of papillary carcinoma, and its expression intensity declines during tumor progression. Serum levels of LGALS3 are high in patients with thyroid malignancy but there is considerable overlap in serum LGALS3 concentrations between those with benign and malignant nodular thyroid disease. LGLAS3 takes part as an immune regulator to inhibit T-cell immune responses and promote tumor growth, as a result providing a new mechanism for tumor immune tolerance.

Glypican 4, also known as GPC4, is part of a family of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs) which take part in the control of cell division and growth regulation. GPC4 is broadly expressed in human tissues, including lung, kidney, heart, placenta, skeletal muscle, and pancreas. In addition, GPC4 has been shown to be present in astrocytes, haematopoietic-progenitor and bone-marrow-stromal cells.

HSP10 is part of the molecular chaperons, that are crucial for thir efficient folding of proteins in normal as well as stress conditions. GroES function is to bind to HSP60 in the presence of ATP, thus causing a change in the HSP60 conformation & enclosing the protein substrate within the complex. ATP hydrolysis by chaperonin-60 which destabilizes the HSP10-HSP60 complex, thereby allowing it to dissociate and secrete the substrate protein. GroES having the NCBI accession number of NP_002148 was purified by using conventional chromatography techniques.

ATP-dependent Clp protease proteolytic subunit (CLPP) is a member of the peptidase family S14. CLPP cleaves peptides in a variety of proteins in a manner which requires ATP hydrolysis. CLPP being the catalytic core of the Clp proteolytic complex is commonly involved in many cellular processes via the regulation of intracellular protein quality. CLPP is responsible for a somewhat general and central housekeeping function rather than for the degradation of specific substrates.

PTP4A2 is part of a small class of the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) family. PTP4A2 is localized to the early endosome that take part in a variety of cellular activities. PTP4A2 protein interacts with the beta-subunit of Rab geranylgeranyltransferase II (beta GGT II), therefore has a role as a regulator of GGT II activity. Overexpression of PTP4A2 in mammalian cells conferred a transformed phenotype, which suggested its role in tumorigenesis.

Zwilch Kinetochore Protein which is also known as ZWILCH is a part of the ZWILCH family. ZWILCH is a vital part of the mitotic checkpoint. ZWILCH prevents the cells from exiting mitosis prematurely. ZWILCH is also necessary for the assembly of the dyneindynactin and MAD1-MAD2 complexes onto kinetochores.

Cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1) is a 201 amino acid member of the interleukin-6 superfamily. It was identified by its ability to induce hypertrophic response in cardiac myocytes. CT-1 mRNA levels were found both in cardiac myocytes and in cardiac nonmyocytes. CT 1 was also detected in abundance in normal adult human lung and was expressed in both fetal and adult airway smooth muscle cells. CT 1 activates gp130 dependent signaling and stimulates the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway to transduce hypertrophic and cytoprotective signals in cardiac myocytes.
CT 1 has also a neurotrophic function. CTF1 deficiency causes increased motoneuron cell death in spinal cord and brainstem nuclei of mice during a period between embryonic day 14 and the first postnatal week. Moreover, CT-1 is a hepatocyte survival factor that efficiently reduces hepatocellular damage in animal models of acute liver injury. Cardiotrophin 1 expression is augmented after hypoxic stimulation and it can protect cardiac cells when added either prior to simulated ischaemia or at the time of reoxygenation following simulated ischaemia. Cardiotrophin 1 can induce expression of the protective heat shock proteins (hsps) in cardiac cells.
Cardiotrophin-1 increased ventricular expression of ANP, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and angiotensinogen mRNA.
Cardiophin 1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with heart failure, patients with dilatative cardiomyopathy, moderate/severe mitral regurgitation, stable and unstable angina and after acute myocardial infarction.

Crk-like protein (CRKL) is a protein kinase containing SH2 and SH3 (src homology) domains which activates the RAS and JUN kinase signaling pathways and transforms fibroblasts in a RAS-dependent manner. CRKL is a substitute of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, it also has a role in fibroblast transformation by BCR-ABL, and has oncogenic potential.

Connective Tissue Growth Factor belongs to the CCN family of proteins. The CCN family presently consists of six members in human also known as: Cyr61 (Cystein rich 61), CTGF (Connective Tissue Growth Factor), Nov (Nephroblastoma Overexpressed gene), WISP-1, 2 and 3 (Wnt-1 Induced Secreted Proteins). The CCN genes encode secreted proteins associated with the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) and cell membrane.
CCN proteins are matricellular proteins which are involved in the regulation of various cellular functions including: proliferation, differentiation, survival, adhesion and migration. They are expressed in derivatives of the three embryonic sheets and are implicated in the development of kidney, nervous system, muscle, bone marrow, cartilage and bone. During adulthood, they are implicated in wound healing, bone fracture repair, and pathologies such as: fibrosis, vascular ailments and tumorigenesis.
Full length secreted CCN proteins can show an antiproliferative activity, whereas truncated isoforms are likely to stimulate proliferation and behave as oncogenes.
The full length protein consists of four modulesModule I shares partial identity with the N-terminal part of the IGFBPs.
Module II includes a stretch of 70amino acid residues – which shares sequence identity with the Von Willebrand Factor Type C repeat (VWC).
Module III contains sequences sharing identity with the Thrombospondin type 1 repeat (TSP1) (WSXCSXXCG), which is thought to be implicated in the binding of sulfated glycoconjugates and to be important for cell adhesion.
Module IV, also designated CT, is encoded by exon5. It is the leasts conserved one of the four domains at the level of nucleotide sequence, but it appears to be critical for several of the biological functions attributed to the CCN proteins. Module IV resembles the CT domain of several extracellular protein including, Von Willebrand's factor and mucins. Sequence similarities to binding motifs are also found within this domain.
Proteolysis of the secreted full-length CCN proteins that has been reported in the case of CCN2 and CCN3 might result in the production of CCN-derived peptides with high affinity for ligands that full-length CNN proteins bind only poorly. Amino-truncated CCN2 isoforms were biologically active whereas no specific biological activity has been attributed to the truncated CCN3. Although the molecular processes underlying the production of these secreted isoforms is presently unknown, it is important to note that proteolysis occur at the same amino acid residues in both CCN2 and CCN3. An elevated expression of CCN2 has also been detected by Northern blotting in human invasive mammary ductal carcinomas, dermatofibromas, pyogenic granuloma, endothelial cells of angiolipomas and angioleiomyomas, and in pancreatic tumors. A study performed with chondrosarcomas representative of various histological grades established that CCN2 expression was closely correlated with increasing levels of malignancy.
In agreement with CCN2 playing a role in brain tumor angiogenesis, immunocytochemistry studies indicated that both glioblastoma tumor cells and proliferating endothelial cells stained positive for CCN2. In astrocytomas, CCN2 expression was particularly elevated in high grade tumors, with a marked effect of CCN2 on cell proliferation. Downregulation of CCN2 expression in these cells was associated with a growth arrest at the G1/S transition while over-expression of CCN2 induced a two-fold increase of the number of cells in the G1 phase. Gene profiling analysis allowed to identify a set of about 50 genes whose expression might account for the proliferative activity of CCN2 in these cells.
CCN2 was seen in a higher proportion of mononuclear cells of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Dendritic cell and monocyte chemokinelike protein (DMC/CXCL17/VEGF-correlated chemokine 1/VCC1), is a secreted molecule with a size and predicted 3-dimensional folding pattern similar to that of chemokines CXCL8/IL8 and CXCL14/BRAK. CXCL17 is constitutively generated by airway and intestinal epithelium. CXCL17 induces the chemotaxis of quiescent, but not LPS-activated peripheral blood monocytes and dendritic cells, and it also binds these cells specifically. The expression of CXCL17 is increased in endothelial cells when they are induced to form tubes in vitro. CXCL17, CXCL1/GRO and CXCL8/IL8 which have roles in angiogenesis, show significantly correlated expression with that of VEGF in primary lung, breast and esophageal tumors. Therefore, CXCL17 is suggested to have a role in tumor angiogenesis. The mature Rat CXCL17 shares 82%, 71% amino acid sequence identity with mouse, human CXCL17, respectively.

PPIases catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of proline imidic peptide bonds in oligopeptides and accelerate the folding of proteins. Cyclophilin-A is a cyclosporin binding-protein and may play a role in cyclosporin A-mediated immunosuppression. Cyclophilin-A can also interact with several HIV proteins, including p55 gag, Vpr, and capsid protein, and has been shown to be necessary for the formation of infectious HIV virions. Multiple pseudogenes that map to different chromosomes have been reported.

Cytohesin 2 (CYTH2) is an ARF-1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). ARF (ADP ribosylation factor) proteins are a part of a group within the RAS superfamily and bindes GTP-b proteins central to the process of vesicle budding. CYTH2 promotes guanine-nucleotide exchange on ARF1, ARF3 and ARF6. Furthermore, CYTH2 promotes the activation of ARF factors through replacement of GDP with GTP. The protein encoded by CYTH2 is a member of the PSCD family. Members of PSCD family appear to mediate the regulation of protein sorting and membrane trafficking. The cell membrane form, in association with ARL4 proteins, recruits ARF6 to the plasma membrane.

SDF-1 (stromal cell-derived factor-1) is small cytokine belonging to the chemokine family that is officially designated Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12). It is produced in two forms, SDF-1?/CXCL12a and SDF-1?/CXCL12b, by alternate splicing of the same gene. Chemokines are characterized by the presence of four conserved cysteines, which form two disulfide bonds. The CXCL12 proteins belong to the group of CXC chemokines, whose initial pair of cysteines are separated by one intervening amino acid. CXCL12 is strongly chemotactic for lymphocytes and has been implicated as an important cell co-ordinator during development. During embryogenesis it directs the migration of hematopoietic cells from foetal liver to bone marrow. Mice which were knocked-out for CXCL12 gene were lethal before the birth or within just 1 hour of life. As another role, CXCL12a alters also the electrophysiology of neurons. CXCL12 was shown to be expressend in many tissues in mice (including brain, thymus, heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen and bone marrow).
The receptor for this chemokine is CXCR4, which was previously called fusin. This CXCL12-CXCR4 interaction used to be considered exclusive (unlike for other chemokines and their receptors), but recently it was suggested that CXCL12 is also bound by CXCR7 receptor.
The gene for CXCL12 is located on human chromosome 10. In human and mouse both CXCL12 and CXCR4 show high identity of sequence: 99% and 90%, respectively.

MYCBP is a member of the AMY1 family. MYCBP (c-Myc binding protein) binds to the transactivation domain of c-Myc and stimulates the activation of E-box-dependent transcription. MYCBP translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus during S phase when increased expression of c-Myc occurs. MYCBP also associates with AKAP 149 and AKAP 84 in mitochondria of somatic cells and sperm, suggesting a role for MYCBP in spermatogenesis. MYCBP is highly expressed in the heart, placenta, pancreas, skeletal muscle and kidney. It is also present at low levels in the lung.

SERPINH1 is part of the serpin superfamily of serine proteinase inhibitors. SEPINH1 expression is induced by heat shock. HSP47 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum lumen and binds collagen therefore it is a molecular chaperone which takes part in the maturation of collagen molecules, facilitating the folding and assembly of procollagen molecules, retaining unfolded molecules within the ER, and assisting the transport of correctly folded-molecules from the ER to Golgi apparatus. Autoantibodies to HSP47 protein have been found in rheumatoid arthritis. SERPINH1 binds specifically to collagen and acts as a chaperone in the biosynthetic pathway of collagen.