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Omentin is a recently recognized gene highly localized to the mental tissue (visceral adipose tissue). Omentin is present in the stromal vascular cells in the adipose tissue rather than in the adipocytes. Omentin is predominantly expressed in the visceral adipose tissue than the subcutaneous tissue, with the omentin mRNA being 150 times higher in the visceral adipose tissue. Omentin has also been detected in human blood using western blot analysis, and seems to increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in mice. Omentin seems to increase Akt phosphorylation irrespective of insulin presence. Its role in glucose metabolism and obesity remains to be described; an insulin-sensitizing action is possible.Differences in Omentin expression has been noted in adipose tissue from normals and patients with inflammatory bowel disease although its significance is unknown.

The somatomedins, or IGFs, comprise a family of peptides that play important roles in mammalian growth and development. IGF1 mediates many of the growth-promoting effects of GH. Early studies showed that GH 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). Three main somatomedins have been characterized: somatomedin C (IGF1), somatomedin A (IGF2; MIM 147470), and somatomedin B (MIM 193190) (Rotwein, 1986; Rosenfeld, 2003).

Serine/threonine-protein kinase 16 (STK16) is a membrane-associated protein kinase which phosphorylates on serine and threonine residues. STK16 is involved in secretory vesicle trafficking or intracellular signaling. Furthermore, the STK16 protein may have a role in regulating stromal-epithelial interactions which occur during ductal morphogenesis in the mammary gland. STK16 can autophosphorylate on Tyr residue; it is however unclear whether STK16 has tyrosine-protein kinase toward other proteins. STK16 may also be involved in TGF-beta signaling.

ST3 Beta-Galactoside Alpha-2,3-Sialyltransferase 5, also know as ST3GAL5 belongs to the glycosyltransferase family 29 and localized to the Golgi apparatus. ST3GAL5 is known to play a part in the induction of cell differentiation, modulation of cell proliferation, maintenance of fibroblast morphology, signal transduction, and integrin-mediated cell adhesion. ST3GAL5 is a type II membrane protein which catalyzes the formation of GM3 with lactosylceramide as the substrate. Mutation in this ST3GAL5 has been connected with Amish infantile epilepsy syndrome. Transcript variants encoding various isoforms have been found for this gene.

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.

Endocrine gland-derived vascular endothelial growth factor (EG-VEGF) induces proliferation, migration, and fenestration in capillary endothelial cells derived from endocrine glands. Its expression is induced by hypoxia and is restricted to the steroidogenic glands (ovary, testis, adrenal, and placenta). Its expression is often complementary to the expression of VEGF (MIM 192240), suggesting that these molecules function in a coordinated manner. EG-VEGF potently contracts gastrointestinal (gi) smooth muscle. Induces proliferation, migration and fenestration (the formation of membrane discontinuities) in capillary endothelial cells derived from endocrine glands. Has little or no effect on a variety of other endothelial and non-endothelial cell types.

Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA lyase (HMGCL) is a mitochondrial matrix protein which is a member of the HMG-CoA lyase family. HMGCL is a homodimer and participates in leucine catabolism and ketogenesis, the hepatic synthesis of ketone bodies which, during fasting, provides a major source of energy for the heart, brain and kidney. More precisely, HMGCL catalyzes the final step of these processes, the cleavage of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA to acetoacetic acid and acetyl-CoA.

Transforming growth factor betas (TGF Betas) mediate many cell-cell interactions that occur during embryonic development. Three TGF Betas have been identified in mammals. TGF Beta 1, TGF Beta 2 and TGF Beta 3 are each synthesized as precursor proteins that are very similar in that each is cleaved to yield a 112 amino acid polypeptide that remains associated with the latent portion of the molecule.

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5 (ACP5) is involved in osteopontin and bone sialoprotein dephosphorylation. ACP5 is an iron containing glycoprotein which catalyzes the conversion of orthophosphoric monoester to alcohol and orthophosphate. ACP5 expression seems to increase in some pathological states such as Gaucher and Hodgkin diseases, the hairy cell, the B-cell, and the T-cell leukemias. ACP5 is the most basic of the acid phosphatases and is the only form not inhibited by L(+)-tartrate.

AKR7A3, takes part in the detoxification of aldehydes and ketones. AKR7A3 reduces the dialdehyde protein-binding form of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) to the non-binding AFB1 dialcohol. AKR7A3 participates in protection of liver against the toxic and carcinogenic effects of AFB1, a potent hepatocarcinogen.

TGFB1-induced anti-apoptotic factor 1 (TIAF1) hinders the cytotoxic effects of TNF-alpha and overexpressed TNF receptor adapters TRADD, FADD, and RIPK1. The TIAF1 protein is involved in TGF-beta1 inhibition of IkappaB-alpha expression and suppression of TNF-mediated IkappaB-alpha degradation. TIAF1 is not detected in normal kidney and liver. TIAF1 is up-regulated in chronic and acute allograft rejection: expressed in the inflammatory infiltrate and in tubular epithelial cells.

Il-6 is a cytokine with a wide variety of biological functions: it plays an essential role in the final differentiation of b-cells into ig-secreting cells, it induces myeloma and plasmacytoma growth, it induces nerve cells differentiation, in hepatocytes it induces acute phase reactants.

SERPINA1 is secreted and is a serine protease inhibitor which its targets include elastase, plasmin, collagenase, thrombin, leucocytic proteases, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and plasminogen activator. Defects in SERPINA1 gene can cause emphysema or liver disease. Antral SERPINA1 expression is particularly induced by H. pylori infection. lung and prostate cancers have shown a significant increase in SERPINA1 serum levels compared with healthy controls though breast cancers did not show a significant change. SERPINA1 is an endogenous inhibitor of serine proteases and inhibits the catalytic domain of human recombinant matriptase in vitro. Rise in SERPINA1 occurs as an acute phase response to tissue necrosis and inflammation. mutations in SERPINA1 and SLC11A1 genes change the balance between elastase produced by leukocytes during phagocytosis.

AKR1B10 efficiently reduces aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, and it is less active on hexoses. AKR1B10 is highly expressed in adrenal gland, small intestine, and colon, and may play an important role in liver carcinogenesis. AKR1B10 is a monomeric protein that competently catalyzes the reduction of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes and ketones. AKR1B10 is widely expressed in numerous human tissues, small intestine, colon and adrenal gland. AKR1B10 is pathogenically involved in diabetic complications and is overexpressed in human tumors, such as liver, breast, and lung cancer, AKR1B10 is involved in the development and progression of cancer.

Endothelial cells express three different vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors, belonging to the family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). They are named VEGFR-1 (Flt-1), VEGFR-2 (KDR/Flk-1), VEGFR-3 (Flt-4). Their expression is almost exclusively restricted to endothelial cells, but VEGFR-1 can also be found on monocytes. All VEGF-receptors have seven immunoglobulin-like extracellular domains, a single transmembrane region and an intracellular split tyrosine kinase domain. VEGFR-2 has a lower affinity for VEGF than the Flt-1 receptor, but a higher signaling activity. Mitogenic activity in endothelial cells is mainly mediated by VEGFR-2 leading to their proliferation.
Differential splicing of the flt-1 gene leads to the formation of a secreted, soluble variant of VEGFR-1 (sVEGFR-1). No naturally occuring, secreted forms of VEGFR-2 have so far been reported. The binding of VEGF165 to VEGFR-2 is dependent on heparin.

APRT is part of the purine/pyrimidine phosphoribosyltransferase family. APRT enzyme catalyzes the formation of AMP and inorganic pyrophosphate from adenine and 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). APRT produces adenine as a by-product of the polyamine biosynthesis pathway. A homozygous deficiency in APRT causes 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis. APRT catalyzes a salvage reaction resulting in the formation of AMP.

Kallikrein-3 (KLK3) belongs to the kallikrein-related peptidase family. Kallikreins are a subgroup of serine proteases having various physiological functions. Numerous kallikreins are involved 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 is assumed to act 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.

Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important signaling protein involved in both vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. As its name implies, VEGF activity has been mostly studied on cells of the vascular endothelium, although it does have effects on a number of other cell types (e.g. stimulation monocyte/ macrophagemigration, neurons, cancer cells, kidney epithelial cells ). VEGF mediates increased vascular permeability, induces angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth, promotes cell migration, and inhibits apoptosis. In vitro, VEGF has been shown to stimulate endothelial cell mitogenesisand cell migration. VEGF is also a vasodilator and increases microvascular permeability and was originally referred to as vascular permeability factor.
Elevated levels of this protein are linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

HGF, also known as scatter factor (SF) and Hepatocyte growth factor, is secreted from mesenchymal cells, targets and acts mainly on epithelial and endothelial cells. The protein is a paracrine cellular growth, motility and morphogenic factor. HGF can also be part of haemopoietic progenitor cells and T cells. HGF has a crucial role in embryonic organ development, mainly in myogenesis. In adults HGF takes part in organ regeneration and wound healing.

Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C1 or AKR1C1 is an enzyme, part of the aldo/keto reductase family that holds over 40 familiar proteins. AKR1C1 promotes the conversion of ketones & aldehydes to their alcohol forms by using cofactors such as NADH & NADPH. AKR1C1 promotes the progesterone reduction to its inactive molecule form 20-alpha-hydroxy-progesterone.

NELFE is a vital component of NELF complex which represses RNA polymerase II transcript elongation. NELFE is similar to nuclear RNA-binding proteins but does not bind RNA. NELFE contains a tract of alternating basic and acidic residues, mainly arginine and aspartic acid.

ANXA3 is an inhibitor of phospholipase A2. ANXA3 possesses anti-coagulant properties. ANXA3 cleaves the cyclic bond of inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate to form inositol 1-phosphate. ANXA3 is part of the annexin family which are members of the calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding protein family that are involved in the regulation of cellular growth and in signal transduction pathways. ANXA3 takes part as an anti-coagulation factor.

Angiopoietins belong to the vascular endothelial growth factor family and the only known growth factors largely specific for vascular endothelium. Angiopoietins-1, 2 and 4 partake in the formation of blood vessels. ANGPTL2 displays angiogenic effects. Angiopoietin-like Protein 2 (ANGPTL2) is an anti-diabetic factor. ANGPTL2 induces sprouting in endothelial cells through an autocrine and paracrine action. ANGPTL2 increases insulin sensitivity in adipocytes. In addition, ANGPTL2 is a mediator of chronic adipose tissue inflammation. ANGPTL2 is widely expressed in the heart, small intestine, spleen and stomach. ANGPTL2 is also found in lower levels in the colon, ovary, adrenal gland, skeletal muscle and in prostate.