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Matrix metalloproteinases are a family of zinc and calcium-dependent endopeptidases that break down extracellular matrix proteins. The MMP9 is secreted as a 92kDa zymogen. Cleavage of ProMMP-9 results in the active enzyme, having a molecular weight of approximately 82kDa. MMP9 is composed of the following domains: a gelatin-binding domain consisting of three fibronectin type II units, a catalytic domain containing the zinc-binding site, a proline-rich type V collagen-homologous domain and a hemopexin-like domain. MMP9 is produced by the several cell types: monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, osteoclasts and endothelial cells. MMP9 is involved in inflammatory responses, tissue remodeling, wound healing, tumor growth and metastasis. MMP9 may also play an important part in local proteolysis of the extracellular matrix and in leukocyte migration, as well as in bone osteoclastic resorption. MMP9 cleaves type IV and type V collagens into large C-terminal three quarter fragments and shorter N-terminal one quarter fragments. MMP9 can also degrade fibronectin but not laminin or Pz-peptide.
MMP9 defects may be a cause of susceptibility to intervertebral disc disease (IDD), also known as lumbar disk herniation (LDH).

CD27 belongs to the TNF-receptor superfamily. CD27 is necessary for initiation and long-term maintenance of T cell immunity. CD27 binds to ligand CD70, and has a crucial role in regulating B-cell activation and immunoglobulin synthesis. The CD27 receptor transduces signals which result in the activation of NF-kappaB and MAPK8/JNK. Adaptor proteins TRAF2 and TRAF5 mediate the signaling process of CD27. CD27-binding protein (SIVA), which is a proapoptotic protein, can bind to the CD27 receptor and is believed to have a significant role in the apoptosis induced by CD27.

TIMP1 is a member of the TIMP family. TIMP1 is an inducible glycoprotein produced by various cell types. The TIMP1 glycoprotein is a natural inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinases, which a group of peptidases involved in degradation of the extracellular matrix. TIMP1 binds in a reversible mode to MMPs, with regions in the N-terminal domain binding to the MMP substrate-binding site. On top of its inhibitory function against most of the known MMPs, TIMP1 is able to promote cell proliferation in a broad range of cell types, and may also have an anti-apoptotic role. Furthermore, TIMP1 has erthyroid-potentiating activity via translocation to the nucleus and also inhibits apoptosis in B-cells. The TIMP1 gene is situated within intron 6 of the synapsin I gene and is transcribed in the opposite direction. TIMP1 activity is dependent on the existence of disulfide bonds. TIMP1 transcription is extremely inducible in reaction to many cytokines and hormones. Increased TIMP1 levels are connecte

GNAI2 is an alpha subunit of guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) and holds a guanine nucleotide binding site. GNAI2 takes part in the hormonal regulation of adenylate cyclase. GNAI2 has varies transcript variants encoding different isoforms yet only two full-length isoforms were identified up to date.

E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase SIAH1 (SIAH1) belongs to the SIAH (seven in absentia homolog) family. SIAH1 is a tumor suppressor protein, which is expressed in intestinal epithelium and activated during apoptosis. SIAH1 is involved in ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation of specific proteins. SIAH1 is comprised of an N-terminal RING-finger domain (required for proteolysis) and a cystein-rich C-terminal domain (which regulates oligomerization and SIAH binding to target proteins). SIAH1 causes indirect degradation of beta-catenin by way of creation of a complex with Siah-interacting protein (SIP), Skp1 and Ebi.

Cathepsin D is synthesized as a 54kDa precursor, which is proteolytically processed to an intermediate 48kDa single chain, which matures into more stable 34kDa and 14kDa two chain form. It is an estrogen-regulated lysosomal protease that has been suggested to facilitate cancer cell migration and invasion by digesting the basement membrane, extracellular matrix, and xonnective tissue. Because of its mitogenic and proteolytic activities, it has been implicated as a prognostic marker in many tumor types. Cathepsin D is expressed in epithelial cells as well as in macrophages.

Phosphoglycerate mutase 2 (PGAM2) is a member of the phosphoglycerate mutase family. PGAM is a dimeric enzyme which contains in separate tissues, different proportions of a slow-migrating muscle (MM) isozyme, a fast-migrating brain (BB) isozyme, and a hybrid form (MB). PGAM (Phosphoglycerate mutase) catalyzes the reversible reaction of 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA) to 2-phosphoglycerate (2-PGA) in the glycolytic pathway. PGAM2 gene mutations cause muscle phosphoglycerate mutase efficiency, otherwise known as glycogen storage disease X.

Glutathione S-transferase mu 5 (GSTM5) belongs to the glutathione s-transferase (GST) family of proteins. There are 8 families of GST proteins, specifically alpha, kappa, mu, omega, pi, sigma, theta and zeta, each of which is comprised of proteins which have various functions throughout the cell. GSTM5 belongs to the mu class of enzymes which function in the detoxification of electrophilic compounds, including carcinogens, therapeutic drugs, environmental toxins and products of oxidative stress, by conjugation with glutathione. GSTM5 has an imperative role in detoxification. GSTM5 conjugates reduced glutathione to a large number of exogenous and endogenous hydrophobic electrophiles.

Membrane Metalloendopeptidase, also known as MME is a zinc metallopeptidase which is expressed at the cell surface of various cells. MME degrades the amyloid beta peptide whose abnormal misfolding as well as aggregation in neural tissue has been implicated as the cause for Alzheimer's disease. MME is expressed in an extended range of tissues and is especially plentiful in the kidney. MME is also a common acute lymphocytic leukemia antigen which is a significant cell surface marker in the diagnosis of human acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). MME is used in hematological diagnosis because it is expressed by early B, pro-B and pre-B lymphocytes, and also by lymph node germinal centers.

TNFR1 belongs to the TNF-receptor superfamily. TNFR1 is a receptor for TNFSF2/TNF-alpha and homotrimeric TNFSF1/lymphotoxin-alpha.
There are 2 types of soluble TNF receptors: sTNFR-I and sTNFR-II, which act to neutralize the biological activities of TNF alpha and TNF beta. The levels of these soluble receptors seem to increase as a result of shedding of the extracellular domains of the membrane bound receptors. TNF-a, TNFR1 and TNFR2 have roles in cellular differentiation. TNFR1 and TNFR2 function in cell type-specific renal injury.
TNFR1 is capable of signaling both cell survival and apoptosis. TNFR1-induced apoptosis requires 2 sequential signaling complexes. TNFR1 is capable of activating NF-kappaB, mediate apoptosis, and function as a regulator of inflammation. Oxidative stress promotes TNFR1 and TNFR2 self-interaction, ligand-independent and enhanced ligand-dependent TNF signaling. TNFR1 contributes to the induction of non-cytocidal TNF effects including anti-viral state and activation of the acid sphingomyelinase. Human TNFR1 has a major region which controls cell surface expression. High levels of soluble TNF receptors are found in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women.
Germline mutations of the extracellular domains of TNFR1 are linked to the autosomal dominant periodic fever syndrome. The impaired receptor clearance is believed to be a mechanism of the disease. Familial hibernian fever (FHF) is caused by defects in TNFRSF1A gene.

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 helps in guiding 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 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 necessary 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.

Glycolate oxidase (HAO1) is a part of the superfamily of the alpha hydroxy acid oxidases (HAO) enzymes. HAO1 catalyses the FMN mediated oxidation of glycolate to glyoxylate and glyoxylate to oxalate by reducing oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. HAO1 is expressed mainly in the liver and pancreas and is most active on twocarbon substrates such as glycolate. HAO1 isthe main cause of hyperoxaluria, a disorder in which large deposits of calcium oxalate form kidney stones.

Interleukin 34 (IL34) is a cytokine that promotes the differentiation and viability of monocytes and macrophages through the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor and is a part of a group of cytokines called interleukins. IL34 increases growth or survival of immune cells known as monocytes. IL34 protein obtains its activity by binding the Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor. Interleukin 34 has also a potential part in viral infection, the adaptive immune response and bone marrow cell proliferation. Furthermore, IL34 plays an important role in innate immunity and in inflammatory processes.

Interleukin-1b is produced by activated macrophages, IL-1 Beta stimulates thymocyte proliferation by inducing il-2 release, b-cell maturation and proliferation, and fibroblast growth factor activity. IL1B proteins are involved in the inflammatory response, being identified as endogenous pyrogens, and are reported to stimulate the release of prostaglandin from synovial cells.

BST1 (Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Antigen 1), is a GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol) anchored membrane protein which is part of the CD38 family. BST1 was initially recognized as a bone marrow stromal cell molecule. BST1 is an ectoenzyme sharing more than a few features with ADP-ribosyl cyclase CD38. BST1 together with CD38, exhibit both DP-ribosyl cyclase and cyclinc ADP ribose hydrolase activities. BST1 participates in rheumatoid arthritis due to its enhanced expression in RA-derived bone marrow stromal cell lines. Moreover, BST1 is expressed by cells of the myeloid lineage and could perform as a receptor with a signal transduction capability.

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.

REXO1 is an exonuclease domain-containing protein which binds to Elongin. The Elongin complex stimulates the rate of transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II by suppressing the transient pausing of the polymerase at many sites along the DNA template. REXO1 is composed of 1221 amino acids and its mRNA is ubiquitously expressed. REXO1 is a putative stem cell marker and is highly expressed in embryonic and adult stem cells.

Granulocyte/Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factors are cytokines that act in hematopoiesis by controlling the production, differentiation, and function of 2 related white cell populations of the blood, the granulocytes and the monocytes-macrophages. MCSF induces cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. MCSF plays a role in immunological defenses, bone metabolism, lipoproteins clearance, fertility and pregnancy.

D-gluconate kinase or idnk is a thermosensitive protein, consists of 187 a.a and part of the gluconokinase gntK/gntV protein family. Idnk enhances the conversion of ATP + D-gluconate => ADP + 6-phospho-D-gluconate. Idnk has a crucial part in determination of gender, removal of a certain portion of 9p may result in the making of male to female (reversal of sex), that leads to a female that has the genotype of male X, Y.

GAPDH is a catalytic enzyme normally known to play a role in glycolysis. GAPDH exists as a tetramer composed of 36-kDa subunits and has a range of intracellular functions. GAPDH catalyzes the reversible reduction of 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphophate in the presence of NADPH. Besides functioning as a glycolytic enzyme in cytoplasm, GAPDH has function in intracellular processes such as membrane fusion, microtubule bundling, phosphotransferase activity, nuclear RNA export, DNA replication and DNA repair. GAPDH catalyzes a vital energy-yielding step in carbohydrate metabolism, the reversible oxidative phosphorylation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate in the presence of inorganic phosphate and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). The enzyme exists as a tetramer of identical chains.

B cell-activating factor (BAFF) enhances B-cell survival in vitro and is a regulator of the peripheral B-cell population. Overexpression of Baff in mice results in mature B-cell hyperplasia and symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Also, some SLE patients have increased levels of BAFF in serum. Therefore, it has been proposed that abnormally high levels of BAFF may contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases by enhancing the survival of autoreactive B cells. The protein encoded by this gene is a receptor for BAFF and is a type III transmembrane protein containing a single extracellular cysteine-rich domain. It is thought that this receptor is the principal receptor required for BAFF-mediated mature B-cell survival.

HTATIP2 is part of the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) family which acts as a tumor suppressor in metabolic suppression, inhibition of angiogenesis and induces the expression of apoptosis related genes Bad and Siva. HTATIP2 cooperates with the activation domain of HIV-1 TAT and enhances its transcription by phosphorylating RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Defects in HTATIP2 are related with hepatocellular carcinomas and apoptotic resistant tumor cells, implicating a probable use for HTATIP2 in antitumor therapy.

BRCA2 And CDKN1A Interacting Protein (BCCIP) is a nuclear protein with multiple interacting domains which remained conserved throughout the evolution. BCCIP is an important cofactor for BRCA2 in tumor suppression, and a modulator of CDK2 kinase activity via p21. BCCIP takes also part in the regulation of BRCA2 and RAD51 nuclear focus formation, doublestrand break-induced homologous recombination, and cell cycle progression.

GNLY is part of the SAPLIP family and is located in the cytotoxic granules of T cells, which are discharged upon antigen stimulation. GNLY is localized in cytotoxic granules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, and it has antimicrobial activity against M. tuberculosis and other organisms. GNLY is an antimicrobial protein that kills intracellular pathogens. GNLY is active against a wide range of microbes, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Kills Mycobacterium tuberculosis.