Search results

Agouti-related protein is an endogenous antagonist of hypothalamic alpha-melanocortin receptors MC3R and MC4R with potent orexigenic activity. Although a complete deletion of the AGRP gene does not produce any significant metabolic phenotypes, reduction in AGRP expression by RNA interference is associated with increased metabolic rate along with reduced weight gain. In hypothalamus, it is produced by neurons in the medial portion of arcuate nucleus, which produce also the potent orexigenic peptide Neuropeptide Y (NP-Y). Another site of central AGRP production is the hypothalamic nucleus. AGRP encompasses 132 amino acid residues and its alpha-melanocortin inhibiting activity results in a 34 amino acid cystine knot domain within the C-terminal (87-132) portion of the protein. Both AGRP and NP-Y expression was shown to be suppressed by leptin. Central administration of AGRP induces hyperphagia and increased gain in body weight in rodents, but may also exert metabolic effects even when hyperphagia is prevented. In the absence of hyperphagia, intracerebralventricular administration of AGRP caused significant increases in plasma leptin and insulin concentrations (twofold and 1.5-fold, respectively) and fat pad mass.
In the periphery, AGRP mRNA was found in adrenal glands, lung, testis, ovary, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in humans or rodents. In the adrenals, it was shown that AGRP antagonizes glucosteroid production mediated by MC4R. AGRP could then modulate locally the functions of some peripheral tissues such as adrenals.
In human and rat serum, detectable levels of AGRP-like activity were reported in the lower picogram range. The serum AGRP levels were elevated in obese humans compared to lean controls and increased with fasting in rats.

High mobility group protein HMG-I/HMG-Y (HMGA1) belongs to the non-histone chromosomal high mobility group protein (HMG) family. HMGA1 is composed of a highly conserved AT-hook DNA-binding domain which mediates binding to AT-rich sequences in the minor groove of chromosomal DNA. HMGA1 functions as an architectural chromatin-binding transcription factor modifying the conformation of DNA by modulating nuclear protein-DNA complexes. Furthermore, HMGA1 is involved in numerous cellular processes including growth regulation, viral induction of beta-IFN gene and regulation of inducible gene transcription.

SERPINA5 up regulates TAFI activation by inhibiting the protein C activation. SERPINA5 is a significant regulator in the equilibrium between coagulation and fibrinolysis by differentially inhibiting the activation of TAFI and of Protein-C. SERPINA5 belongs to the serpin serine proteinase inhibitor family. SERPINA5 protein inhibits plasminogen activators as well as activated protein C.
SERPINA5 is secreted in plasma & liver. SERPINA5 is involved in cell inflammation, proliferation, apoptosis, tumour cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, SERPINA5 controls the invasive potential of renal cell carcinoma by inhibiting urinary plasminogen activator secreted by the cells. SERPINA5 participtes in regulating key serine proteases which are involved in metastatic prostate disease.

Serpin Peptidase Inhibitor, Clade A Member 8 (SERPINA8), which is a pre-angiotensinogen or angiotensinogen precursor, is expressed in the liver and cleaved by the enzyme renin in response to lowered blood pressure. The ensuing product, angiotensin I, is at that point cleaved by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) to produce the physiologically active enzyme angiotensin II. SERPINA8 protein is involved in maintaining blood pressure and in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension and preeclampsia. SERPINA8 gene mutations are linked with susceptibility to essential hypertension, and may cause renal tubular dysgenesis, which is a severe disorder of renal tubular development. Defects in the SERPINA8 gene are also linked with non-familial structural atrial fibrillation, and inflammatory bowel disease.

NudE Neurodevelopment Protein 1-Like 1 also known as NDEL1 is a coiled-coil protein which participates in multiple processes as well as cytoskeletalorganization, cell signaling and neuron migration, outgrowth and maintenance. Alternatively spliced transcriptvariants encoding multiple isoforms have been observed for NDEL1, and a pseudogene of this gene is placed onthe long arm of chromosome X. One of the diseases associated with NDEL1 is iridocyclitis.

Dsb proteins are in charge for the formation and rearrangement of disulfide bonds during the folding of secreted and membrane proteins in bacteria. DsbG has disulfide bond isomerase and chaperone activity. DsbG interacts with refolding intermediates of chemically denatured citrate synthase and prevents their aggregation in vitro. DsbG shares sequnce homology with DsbC. DsbG forms a stable periplasmic dimer and displays an equilibrium constant with glutathione comparable with DsbA and DsbC. DsbG is expressed at roughly 25% level of DsbC.

ARL15 is a member of the ARF family which are essential in eukaryotic vesicular trafficking pathways and have a vital part in the activation of phospholipase D. ARL15 variants influence levels of Acrp30, an adipocyte-derived protein that is extremely genetic and inversely related to the prospect of type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.

ASB13 belongs to the ankyrin repeat and SOCS box-containing (ASB) family of proteins which contains ankyrin repeat sequence and a SOCS box domain. ASB13 is a protein coding gene that plays a role as a substrate-recognition part of a SCF-like ECS E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase complex which arbitrates the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of target proteins.

NFKB inhibitor interacting Ras-like 2 (NKIRAS2) is an inhibitor of the transcription factor NF-kappaB. NKIRAS2 is similar to the Ras-like small GTPases which associate with IkappaB. The Ras-like proteins- NKIRAS1 and NKIRAS2, interact with the PEST domains of I?B? and I?B? and reduce their rate of degradation. NKIRAS2 is an atypical Ras-like protein which functions as a potent regulator of NF-kappa-B activity by preventing the degradation of NF-kappa-B inhibitor beta (NFKBIB) by most signals, explaining why NFKBIB is more impervious to degradation.

NME3-a potential suppressor of metastasis, is expressed significantly less in highly metastatic cells than in cells with lower metastatic potential. NME3-a is vital for the synthesis of nucleoside triphosphates and has a part in apoptosis induction and hematopoiesis and is mainly expressed during early stages of myeloid differentiation of highly purified CD34+ cells.

SNUPN is a nuclear import adaptor protein which is part of the Snurportin family.
SNUPN is Localized to the cytoplasm and nucleus and contains an N-terminal IBB domain and a trimethylguanosine (m3G)-cap binding domain. SNUPN binds specifically the terminal 2,2,7-m3G-cap at the 5'' end of U snRNPs and is involved in transport of U snRNPs into the nucleus through an association with Importin β.

Ephrin-B3 (EFNB3) which belongs to the ephrin gene family is essential in brain development as well as in its maintenance. EFNB3 binds to, and induces the collapse of, commissural axons/growth cones in vitro. EFNB3 loosely binds Eph receptors located on bordering cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. The EPH and EPH-related receptors comprise the largest subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases and are implicated in mediating developmental events, mostly in the nervous system.

IHH belongs to the hedgehog family of secreted signaling molecules. Hedgehog proteins are vital regulators of various developmental processes including growth, patterning and morphogenesis. The vertebrate homologues of Hh comprise several proteins including sonic hedgehog (Shh), Indian hedgehog (Ihh), and Desert hedgehog (Dhh). IHH has a specific role in bone growth and differentiation. In addition, IHH is involved in yolk sac vasculogenesis, having a central role in differentiation of epiblast cells into endothelial and red blood cells. IHH mRNA expression is detected in fetal lung, gut, stomach, liver, kidney, pancreas and strongly in cartilage in growth regions of the developing bone. IHH gene mutations cause the brachydactyly type A1 which is characterized by shortening or malformation of the phalanges and also the acrocapitofemoral dysplasia.

Nucleotide Binding Protein 2, also known as NUBP2 is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as well as metal-binding protein which is essential for the assembly of cyotosolic iron-sulfur proteins. NUBP2 performs in a heterotetramer with nucleotide-binding protein 1 (NUBP1). Moreover, alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants have been found for NUBP2.

sRAGE is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell surface molecules. sRAGE is a receptor for various molecules, including the amyloidogenic form of serum amyloid A, amyloid-beta protein, members of the S100/calgranulin superfamily and advanced glycation end products. sRAGE lies within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class III region on chromosome 6. Alternative splicing results in two transcript variants encoding different isoforms. sRAGE mediates interactions of nonenzymatic glycosylated proteins which accumulate in vascular tissue during aging & at an increasing rate in diabetes. sRAGE is a receptor for amyloid beta peptide.

Periostin is a disulfide linked 90 kDa, 811 amino acid protein originally isolated as a osteoblast-specific factor that functions as a cell adhesion molecule for preosteoblasts and is thought to be involved in osteoblast recruitment, attachment and spreading. Additionally, periostin expression has previously been shown to be significantly increased by both transforming growth factor beta-1(TGFbeta1) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2). OSF-2 has a typical signal sequence, followed by a cysteine-rich domain, a fourfold repeated domain and a C-terminal domain. The fourfold repeated domain of OSF-2 shows homology with the insect protein fasciclin
Periostin mRNA is expressed in the developing mouse embryonic and fetal heart, and that it is localized to the endocardial cushions that ultimately divide the primitive heart tube into a four-chambered heart.

Tubulointerstitial Nephritis Antigen Like 1 also known as TINAGL1 is similar in sequence to tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen, a secreted glycoprotein which is identified by antibodies in several types of immune-related tubulointerstitial nephritis. Three transcript variants encoding different isoforms are known for TINAGL1.

Frataxin is a mitochondrial iron binding protein that is part of the FRATAXIN family. Frataxin functions in regulating mitochondrial iron transport and respiration. The expansion of intronic trinucleotide repeat GAA results in Friedreich ataxia. Frataxin plays a role in iron homeostasis. Frataxin is an anti-apoptotic protein which prevents mitochondrial damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.

Toll interacting protein (TOLLIP) is an inhibitory adaptor protein within Toll-like receptors. The TLR pathway is a part of the innate immune system which recognizes structurally conserved molecular patterns of microbial pathogens, initiating an inflammatory immune response. Negative regulation of TLR signaling by TOLLIP might restrict the production of proinflammatory mediators during inflammation and infection. Furthermore, TOLLIP forms a complex with Tom1 to regulate endosomal transferring of ubiquitinated proteins.

Lipocalin-2 also called Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) belongs to a family of lipocans which include 25 proteins (including a1-microglobulin and b-lactoglobulin), which are characterized by their ability to bind small lipophilic substances in their hydrophobic core.
They thereby serve as transporters of substances like retinal, biliverdins & prostaglandins. There are indications that NGAL is involved in modulation of the inflammatory response and is found in the plasma of patients after stroke.

TSG101 is a member of apparently inactive homologs of ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. TSG101 contains a coiled-coil domain that interacts with stathmin, a cytosolic phosphoprotein implicated in tumorigenesis. TSG101 is involved in cell growth and differentiation and acts as a negative growth regulator. TSG101 in vitro steady-state expression is important for maintenance of genomic stability and cell cycle regulation. TSG101 mutations and alternative splicing occur in high rate in breast cancer and implicate that defects occur during breast cancer tumorigenesis and/or progression. TSG101 is a factor of the ESCRT-I complex, a monitor of vesicular trafficking process. TSG101 binds to ubiquitinated cargo proteins and is needed for the sorting of endocytic ubiquitinated cargos into multivesicular bodies. TSG101 is needed for completion of cytokinesis and is involved in cell growth and differentiation.

GNG4 belongs to a multigene family and is involved in defining the specificity of receptor-G protein interaction. In mammals, G protein alpha, beta and gamma polypeptides are encoded by no less than 16, 4 and 7 genes, respectively. It is a well-known fact that different G protein complexes expressed in different tissues carry structurally distinct members of the alpha beta and gamma subunits and that privileged connotation between members of subunit families rise G protein functional diversity.

Guanine Nucleotide Binding Protein Gamma Transducing 1, also known as GNGT1 is amember of the G protein gamma family. GNGT1 is implicated in various transmembrane signaling systems as a modulator or transducer. In addition GNGT1 (beta & gamma chains) is required for the GTPase activity, for replacement of GDP by GTP, and for G protein- effector interaction.

Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein that belongs to the transferrin family of iron binding proteins. It is found in human breast milk as well as most epithelial surface secretions including tears, nasogastric, saliva, and bronchial. Lactoferrin binds 2 molecules of iron with very high affinity. Lactoferrin inhibits bacterial growth by withholding iron, its N-terminal region is an antimicrobial peptide. Lactotransferrin acts synergistically with lysozyme to potentiate the activity of both proteins. The multifunctional protein lactoferrin has many physiological possible roles. It is often referred to as an innate defense protein and frequently serves as the first line of defense in protection against pathogens. It has been shown to have the ability to bind iron, it is a natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral, it is an antioxidant and it also has immunomodulatory properties. It has many beneficial properties, which make it a good candidate for a number of product applications. Considerable research is currently going on to explain the various suggested biological functions of lactoferrin.