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Pleiotrophin (Osteoblast-Specific Factor-1, OSF-1) contains 136 amino acid residues. The sequence is very rich in cationic amino acids (24% of the residues); lysine cluster sequences are found in the N-terminal and C-terminal ends of the structure.
The OSF-1 gene was shown by Northern blotting analysis to be expressed in mouse calvarial osteoblast-enriched cells and in mouse brain tissues, but not in thymus, spleen, kidney, liver, lung, testis or heart. Pleiotrophin has the ability to promote adhesion, migration, expansion, and differentiation of human osteoprogenitor cells. In addition to certain types of cancer, the embryonic growth and differentiation factor pleiotrophin is found also in adults in inflammatory diseases. In osteoarthritis, pleiotrophin is especially expressed in early stages, and its concentrations in the synovial fluid could serve as a marker for the progress of the disease. Pleitrophin might be involved in cartilage repair in osteoarthritis, in particular, in earlier stages.

STIP1 is an adaptor protein that mediates the functions of HSP70 & HSP90 in protein folding. STIP1 supports the transfer of proteins from HSP70 to HSP90 by binding together HSP90 and substrate-bound HSP70. STIP1 stimulates the ATPase activity of HSP70 and inhibits the ATPase activity of HSP90, suggesting that it regulates both the conformations and ATPase cycles of these chaperones. STIP1 genetic variations are involved in regulating corticosteroid response in asthmatic subjects with reduced lung function.

Gastrokine 3 (GKN3P) is a Pseudogene, which May inhibit gastric epithelial cell proliferation.

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.

Cytochrome b5 reductase 2 (CYB5R2) is involved in desaturation and elongation of fatty acids, cholesterol biosynthesis, drug metabolism, and, in erythrocyte, methemoglobin reduction. CYB5R2 is responsible for NADH-dependent lucigenin chemiluminescence in spermatozoa by reducing both lucigenin and 2-[4-iodophenyl]-3-[4-nitrophenyl]-5-[2,4-disulfophenyl]-2H tetrazolium monosodium salt (WST-1).

Myoglobin, mitochondrial precursor is a cytosolic oxygen-binding protein in charge of the storage and diffusion of oxygen within myocytes. The largest expression of MB is in the skeletal and cardiac muscle. MB operates in various functions in muscular oxygen supply, such as oxygen storage, facilitated diffusion, and myoglobin-mediated oxidative phosphorylation.

CCDC104 also known as coiled-coil domain-containing protein 104 is a 342 amino acid protein that exists as two alternatively spliced isoforms. CCDC104 undergoes post-translational phosphorylation following DNA damage, most likely by either ATR or ATM. Among the diseases associated with CCDC104 are pancreatic cancer, and pancreatitis.

Complement Factor B, also known as CFB, encodes complement factor B which is a component of the alternative pathway of complement activation. Factor B circulates in the blood as a single chain polypeptide. Once the alternative pathway is activated it is cleaved by complement factor D yielding the noncatalytic chain Ba and the catalytic subunit Bb. The active subunit Bb is a serine protease which connects with C3b to form the alternative pathway C3 convertase. Also, Bb is involved in the proliferation of preactivated B lymphocytes, while Ba inhibits their proliferation.

MGMT is an enzyme that repairs O-6-methylguanine, a mutagenic DNA base damaged by endogenous and environmental alkylating agents and takes part in the cellular defense against the biological effects of O-6-methylguanine in DNA. MGMT repairs alkylated guanine in DNA by stoichiometrically transferring the alkyl group at the O-6 position to a cysteine residue in the enzyme. abnormal MGMT expression correlates with the prognosis in human solid cancers. MGMT decrease of expression is correlated with methylation. The human MGMT is a negative regulator of estrogen receptor-mediated transcription upon alkylation DNA damage. MGMT promoter hypermethylation plays an important role in the early steps of colorectal carcinogenesis. Abnormal promoter hypermethylation of MGMT gene is associated with oral squamous cell carcinomas.

AHCY is an enzyme that catalyzes the reversible hydrolysis of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) to adenosine (Ado) and L-homocysteine (Hcy). AHCY controls the intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) concentration that is crucial for transmethylation reactions. AHCY deficiency causes hypermethioninemia.

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 Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (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 heparin-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.

Complement factor H (CFH) is an important regulatory component of the alternative pathway of complement. CFH is prevents complement activation on host cells and tissues, mainly the kidney. CFH controls the formation and decay of the alternative pathway C3/C5 convertase and acts as a cofactor for factor I which proteolytically inactivates C3b when C3b is bound to factor H. The N-terminal 5 domains of CFH bind to C3b and inhibit binding of factor B thus reducing the formation of C3/C5 convertase. CFH also binds to preformed C3/C5 convertases and causes quick release of the catalytic subunit Bb. These activities are necessary for controlling the spontaneous activation of the alternative pathway amplification process in plasma. In addition, CFH controls the formation and decay of these enzymes when C3b is attached to the surface of particles.

SENP8 is a cysteine protease which belongs to the sentrin-specific protease family. SENP8 takes part in processing and deconjugation of the ubiquitin-like protein labeled, neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated 8(NEDD8).

Synaptotagmin-11 (SYT11) protein may be involved in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of secretory vesicles through Ca2+ and phospholipid binding to the C2 domain or may function as Ca2+ sensors in the process of vesicular trafficking and exocytosis.

Complement Factor B, also known as CFB, encodes complement factor B which is a component of the alternative pathway of complement activation. Factor B circulates in the blood as a single chain polypeptide. Once the alternative pathway is activated it is cleaved by complement factor D yielding the noncatalytic chain Ba and the catalytic subunit Bb. The active subunit Bb is a serine protease which connects with C3b to form the alternative pathway C3 convertase. Also, Bb is involved in the proliferation of preactivated B lymphocytes, while Ba inhibits their proliferation.

HIF1A has a role as a master transcriptional monitor of the adaptive response to hypoxia. Under hypoxic conditions HIF1A activates the transcription of over 40 genes, including, erythropoietin, glucose transporters, glycolytic enzymes, vascular endothelial growth factor, and genes whose protein products increase oxygen release or facilitate metabolic adaptation to hypoxia. HIF1A functions as an essential role in embryonic vascularization, tumor angiogenesis and pathophysiology of ischemic disease.

OAZ1 is a member of the ODC antizyme family. OAZ1 is auto-regulated expressed by polyamine-enhanced translational frame shifting. OAZ1 negatively controls polyamine synthesis by increasing the negative feedback loop regulating ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. The OAZ1 protein inhibits ornithine decarboxylase and speeds up its detraction.

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.

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. CSF-1 induces cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. It plays a role in immunological defenses, bone metabolism, lipoproteins clearance, fertility and pregnancy.

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (YARS) is a member of the class I tRNA synthetase family. YARS is a vital enzyme which catalyzes the aminoacylation of tRNATrp with tryptophan, a critical function of the cell’s protein synthesis machinery. Expression of YARS is highly stimulated in human cells by the addition of IFN-gamma.

Collagen triple helix repeat-containing protein 1 (CTHRC1) functions as a negative regulator of collagen matrix deposition. CTHRC1 is a secreted 28kDa protein which is glycosylated and highly conserved from lower chordates to mammals. CTHRC1 is highly connected with calcified tissues and cartilaginous matrix, but not with endothelial cells. CTHRC1 is detected qualitatively in plasma of healthy human subjects. CTHRC1 plasma levels are also significantly elevated during pregnancy, in diabetes, in inflammatory and infectious conditions, in subjects with acute myeloid leukemia but not in subjects with solid cancers. The hormonal functions of CTHRC1 include regulation of lipid storage and cellular glycogen levels with potentially far-reaching implications for cell metabolism and physiology. CTHRC1 gene deletion leads to fatty liver (steatosis) formation in mice while others exhibited inactivation of the CTHRC1 gene also results in low bone mass.

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.

Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 11 (CCL11) is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family that is also known as eotaxin. CCL11 selectively recruits eosinophils by inducing their chemotaxis, and therefore, is implicated in allergic responses. The effects of CCL11 are mediated by its binding to a G-protein-linked receptor known as a chemokine receptor. Chemokine receptors for which CCL11 is a ligand include CCR2, CCR3 and CCR5. The gene for human CCL11 (scya11) is encoded on three exons and is located on chromosome 17.