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DHH is part of the Hedgehog family which encodes signaling molecules that are involved in regulating morphogenesis. DHH protein is a precursor that is autocatalytically cleaved, the N-terminal portion is soluble and contains the signalling activity while the C-terminal portion is involved in precursor processing. Additionally, the C-terminal product covalently attaches a cholesterol moiety to the N-terminal product, restricting the N-terminal product to the cell surface and preventing it from freely diffusing throughout the organism. Defects in DHH protein have been associated with partial gonadal dysgenesis (PGD) accompanied by minifascicular polyneuropathy. DHH plays a role both male gonadal differentiation and perineurial development.
DHH plays a role in intercellular signaling which is essential for a variety of patterning events during development. DHH functions as a spermatocyte survival factor in the testes & is essential for testes development.

RARRES2 is a secreted chemotactic protein that initiates chemotaxis through the ChemR23 G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane domain ligand. RARRES2 is upregulated by the synthetic retinoid tazarotene and found in a vast variety of tissues. RARRES2 acts as an adipokine, and is truncated on both termini from the proprotein. RARRES2 is structurally related to the cathelicidin precursors, cystatin C and kininogens. RARRES2 promotes calcium mobilization and chemotaxis of immature dendritic cells and macrophages. RARRES2 is secreted as a precursor of little biological activity, which requires proteolytic cleavage of its COOH-terminal domain to be exchangeed into a potent and highly specific agonist of ChemR23. RARRES2 signals via its receptor, ChemR23 (CMKLR1), as a positive regulator of adipocyte differentiation and metabolic function. The Chemerin receptor acts as a coreceptor for SIV and some primary HIV-1 strains. The Chemerin receptor has another ligand, called tazarotene-induced gene.

Pyruvate kinase is a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway. The M2 isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase is specifically expressed at high levels in tumor cells, and can be measured in plasma of patients with advanced breast cancer. The marker is useful for measuring disease activity, sensitivity to chemotherapy and recurrence.

The somatomedins, or insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), comprise a family of peptides that takes part in mammalian growth and development. IGF1 mediates various growth-promoting effects of growth hormone (GH; MIM 139250). Early studies showed that growth hormone did not directly stimulate the incorporation of sulfate into cartilage, but rather acted through a serum factor, termed 'sulfation factor,' which later became known as 'somatomedin' (Daughaday et al., 1972). 3 main somatomedins have been characterized: somatomedin C (IGF1), somatomedin A (IGF2; MIM 147470), and somatomedin B (MIM 193190) (Rotwein, 1986; Rosenfeld, 2003).

RGS2 belongs to the RGS family which are regulatory molecules that act as GTPase activating proteins for G alpha subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins. RGS2 inhibits signal transduction by increasing the GTPase activity of G protein alpha subunits and as a result driving them into their inactive GDP-bound form.

The 14-3-3 family of proteins plays a key regulatory role in signal transduction, checkpoint control, apoptotic and nutrient-sensing pathways. 14-3-3 proteins are highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed. There are at least seven isoforms, β, γ, ε, σ, ζ, τ and η that have been identified in mammals. The 14-3-3 tau, a subtype of the 14-3-3 family of proteins, was found in T Cells, brain and testes. This 14-3-3 tau is upregulated in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Kallikrein-3 (KLK3) is a part of the kallikrein-related peptidase family. Kallikreins are a subgroup of serine proteases having various physiological functions. Numerous kallikreins take part in carcinogenesis and some may be prospective cancer and other disease biomarkers. Kallikrein-3 is 1 of the 15 kallikrein subfamily members located in a cluster on chromosome 19 and is a protease present in seminal plasma. KLK3 hydrolyzes semenogelin-1 consequently leading to the liquefaction of the seminal coagulum. KLK3 acts normally in the liquefaction of seminal coagulum, probably by hydrolysis of the high molecular mass seminal vesicle protein. Serum level of the KLK3 protein, called PSA in the clinical setting, is beneficial in the diagnosis and monitoring of prostatic carcinoma.

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.

OTOR proteins is also known as fibrocyte-derived protein (Fdp) and Melanoma inhibitory activity-like (MIAL). Otoraplin is a member of the melanoma-inhibiting activity gene family. Otoraplin is a secreted 16 kDa globular protein that is expressed in the inner ear by periotic mesenchyme and developing and mature fibrocytes. OTOR is highly homologous to MIA/cartilage-derived retinoic acid-sensitive protein (CD-RAP), which is a cartilage-specific protein that is also expressed in malignant melanoma cells. The 111 amino acid mature human otoraplin contains 1 SH3 domain (46 – 107 amino acids) and a Tyr at position 50 that is reportedly sulfated. Otoraplin takes pasrt in the initiation of periotic mesenchyme chondrogenesis.
Otoraplin is secreted through the Golgi apparatus and plays a role in cartilage development and maintenance. A frequent polymorphism in the translation start codon of OTOR can abolish translation and may be associated with forms of deafness.

The 14-3-3 family of proteins plays a key regulatory role in signal transduction, checkpoint control, apoptotic and nutrient-sensing pathways. 14-3-3 proteins are highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed. There are at least seven isoforms, β, γ, ε, σ, ζ, τ and η that have been identified in mammals. The 14-3-3 epsilon, a subtype of the 14-3-3 family of proteins, was thought to be brain and neuron-specific. It has been shown to interact with CDC25 phosphatases, RAF1 and IRS1 proteins, suggesting its role in diverse biochemical activities related to signal transduction, such as cell division and regulation of insulin sensitivity. It has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of small cell lung cancer.

Ara h 8.0101 which is a part of the PR-10 protein family is a Bet v 1-homologous panallergen. Ara h 8.0101 is cross-reactive with Gly m 4 from soy bean and Bet v 1 from silver birch. Ara h 8.0101 is responsible for oral allergy syndrome and also has low stability to roasting and no stability to gastric digestion.

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.

S100A11 is a member of the S100 family of proteins which contains two EF-hand calcium-binding motifs and is thought to be involved in the regulation of a number of cellular processes including cell cycle progression and differentiation. S100A11 may function in motility, invasion and tubulin polymerisation. S100 proteins are localized either in the cytoplasm or the nucleus of a wide range of cells. There are at least 13 members in the S100 gene family, which are located as a cluster on chromosome 1q21. Chromosomal rearrangements and altered expression of S100A11 have been implicated in tumor metastasis.

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.

NSE is the ?? isoform of the glycolytic enzyme enolase and is expressed primarily in neurons, in normal and neoplastic neuroendocrine cells. NSE is a highly soluble cytoplasmic protein that is readily secreted into the CSF and serum following tissue damage. NSE shows neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties on a broad spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) neurons and binds in a calcium-dependent manner to cultured neocortical neurons promoting cell survival.

GMCSF is a cytokine that controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes and macrophages. The active form of the protein is found extracellularly as a homodimer. This gene has been localized to a cluster of related genes at chromosome region 5q31, which is known to be associated with interstitial deletions in the 5q- syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia. Other genes in the cluster include those encoding interleukins 4, 5, and 13.
GM-CSF stimulates the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic precursor cells from various lineages, including granulocytes, macrophages, eosinophils and erythrocytes. Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor is a potent species-specific growth factor produced by a variety of cell types including T cells, B cells, macrophages, mast cells and endothelial cells. GM-CSF is produced in response to cytokine or immune stimulation and has been shown to stimulate the proliferation, maturation and function of hematopoietic cells.

Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) belongs to the SFRP family which contains a cysteine-rich domain homologous to the putative Wnt-binding site of Frizzled proteins. SFRPs serve as soluble modulators of Wnt signaling. SFRP4 may serve as a regulator of adult uterine morphology and function. SFRP4 increases apoptosis during ovulation possibly via modulation of FZ1/FZ4/WNT4 signaling. SFRP4 also has phosphaturic effects by specifically inhibiting sodium-dependent phosphate uptake. SFRP4 is expressed in proliferative endometrium and several types of ovarian, endometrial and Brest tumors. SFRP4 is expressed in mesenchymal cells and in cardiomyocytes. SFRP4 expression in ventricular myocardium correlates with apoptosis related gene expression. SFRP4 is up-regulated in failing myocardium.

Uromodulin is the most abundant protein in normal urine. Its secretion in urine follows proteolytic cleavage of the ectodomain of its glycosyl phosphatidylinosital-anchored counterpart that is situated on the luminal cell surface of the loop of Henle. Uromodulin plays a role as a constitutive inhibitor of calcium crystallization in renal fluids. Secretion of uromodulin in urine provides protection against urinary tract infections caused by uropathogenic bacteria. Defects in Uromodulin expression are associated with the autosomal dominant renal disorders medullary cystic kidney disease-2 (MCKD2) and familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy (FJHN). These disorders are characterized by juvenile onset of hyperuricemia, gout, and progressive renal failure. While several transcript variants may exist for this gene, the full-length natures of only two have been described to date. UMOD is involved in regulating the circulating activity of cytokines as it binds to il-1, il-2 and tnf with high affinity.

EBI3 has an induced expression in B lymphocytes in reaction to Epstein-Barr virus infection. EBI3 encodes a secreted glycoprotein belonging to the hematopoietin receptor family, and heterodimerizes with a 28 kDa protein to form iIL-27. EBI3 drives rapid clonal expansion of naive cd4(+) t-cells. EBI3 strongly synergizes with IL-12 to activate IFN-gamma production of naive cd4(+) t-cells. EBI3 mediates its biologic effects through the cytokine receptor wsx-1/tccr.

IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor-1) is a major hormonal mediator of statural growth. Under regular circumstances, GH (growth hormone) binds to its receptor in the liver, and other tissues, and stimulates the synthesis/secretion of IGF-1. In target tissues, the Type 1 IGF receptor, that is homologous to the insulin receptor, is activated by IGF-1, leading to intracellular signaling which stimulates multiple processes leading to statural growth. IGF-1 metabolic actions are partly directed at stimulating the uptake of glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids so that metabolism supports growing tissues.

Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II DO Alpha (HLA-DOA) is a significant modulator in the HLA class II restricted antigen presentation pathway by interaction with the HLA-DM molecule in B-cells. HLA-DOA forms a heterodimer along with HLA-DOB. The heterodimer is located in lysosomes in B cells and regulates HLA-DM-mediated peptide loading on MHC class II molecules. HLA-DOA exhibits very little sequence variation, particularly at the protein level.