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Carcinoembryonic Antigen-Related Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (CEACAM1) belongs to the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene family which is a part of the immunoglobulin superfamily. CEACAM1 is a cell adhesion protein which mediates homophilic cell adhesion in a calcium-independent way. CEACAM1 is a surface glycoprotein expressed on various blood cells, epithelial cells, and vascular cells. CEACAM1 functions as coinhibitory receptor in immune response, and plays a role also as an activator during angiogenesis.

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.

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.

Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Receptor, also known as CNTFR is a member of the type I cytokine receptor family. CNTFR binds to CNTF.The alpha subunit provides the receptor specificity.Sole nucleotide polymorphisms in CNTFR has been associated with variations in muscle strength, in addition to early onset of eating disorders.

GM-CSF Receptor Alpha (CSF2RA) is the alpha subunit of the heterodimeric receptor for colony stimulating factor 2, a cytokine which controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes and macrophages. CSFR2 is also a member of the cytokine family of receptors. In addition, this gene is found in the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) of the X and Y chromosomes. Multiple transcript variants encoding various isoforms have been found for this gene, while some of the isoforms being membrane-bound and others being soluble. Diseases associated with CSF2RA include surfactant metabolism dysfunction, pulmonary 4, and csf2ra-related pulmonary surfactant metabolism dysfunction.

The Melanoma Inhibitory protein (MIA) was identified as an inhibitor of in vitro growth of malignant melanoma cells. The protein contains a SH3 domain. MIA acts as a potent tumor cell growth inhibitor for malignant melanoma cells and some other neuroectodermal tumors, including gliomas, in an autocrine fashion. In a study of human melanoma cell lines with different metastatic capacity MIA mRNA expression appeared to be inversely correlated with pigmentation. MIA has been shown to represent a very sensitive and specific serum marker for systemic malignant melanoma that might be useful for staging of primary melanomas, detection of progression from localized to metastatic disease during follow-up, and monitoring therapy of advanced melanomas.

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 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 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.

Cyclophilin-D is a member of the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) family. PPIases catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of proline imidic peptide bonds in oligopeptides and speeds up the protein folding. Cyclophilin-D possess PPIase activity and binds to the immunosuppressant cyclosporin-A. Cyclophilin-D is very well known that its overexpression suppresses the apoptosis in cancer cell. Cyclophilin-D suppresses apoptotic cell death by the use of mitochondrial hexokinase-2 dependent mechanism in cancer cells.

CYP2E1, also known as Cytochrome P450 2E1 belongs to the cytochrome P450 mixed-function oxidase system which is involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics in the body. While CYP2E1 is implicated in the oxidative metabolism of small range substrates, commonly small polar molecules, there are many significant drug interactions which are mediated by CYP2E1.

Sialidase 1 (NEU1) is a lysosomal enzyme which cleaves terminal sialic acid residues from substrates such as glycoproteins and glycolipids. In the lysosome, the NEU1 enzyme is part of a heterotrimeric complex in cooperation with beta-galactosidase and cathepsin A. NEU1 gene mutations may lead to sialidosis, a lysosomal storage disease that can be the type 1 (cherry red -myoclonus syndrome or normosomatic type), which is late-onset, or the type 2 (the dysmorphic type), which takes place at an earlier age with increased acuteness.

Sorcin (SRI) which is a 22kDa calcium-binding protein was originally identified in multidrug-resistant cells. Sorcin, which modulates excitation-contraction coupling in the heart, contributes to calcium homeostasis in the heart sarcoplasmic reticulum.

CXCL14 is involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes. BRAK protein is structurally related to the CXC (Cys-X-Cys) subfamily of cytokines. CXCL14 displays chemotactic activity for monocytes but not for lymphocytes, dendritic cells, neutrophils or macrophages. CXCL14 is involved in the homeostasis of monocyte-derived macrophages.

Synaptojanin 2 Binding Protein (SYNJ2BP) contains 1 PDZ (DHR) domain which binds to isoform 2A of SYNJ2 (through the unique motif in the C-terminus) and interacts with MAPK12.

CCL25 (Teck) is a novel CC chemokine, which is distantly related (about 20% amino acid sequence identity) to other CC chemokines. The mouse CCL25 cDNA has also been cloned and shown to encode a 144 a.a. protein, which exhibits 49% a.a. sequence identity to the human CCL25. Human and mouse CCL25 expression was shown to be greatly restricted to the thymus and small intestine. While dendritic cells are identified as the source of CCL25 production in the thymus, dendritic cells derived from bone marrow do not express CCL25. CCL25 signals through the CCR9 receptor. Teck is possibly involved in T-cell development.
Recombinant human and mouse Teck were shown to be chemotactic for activated macrophages, dendritic cells and thymocytes. The recombinant protein demonstrates chemotactic activity on thymocytes, macrophages, THP-1 cells, and dendritic cells but is inactive on peripheral blood lymphocytes and neutrophils.

Prohibitin 2, also known as PHB2, mediates transcriptional repression by nuclear hormone receptors via recruitment of histone deacetylases by similarity. PHB2 functions as an estrogen receptor (ER)-selective coregulator which potentiates the inhibitory activities of antiestrogens and represses the activity of estrogens. PHB2 which is involved in regulating mitochondrial respiration activity and in aging, competes with NCOA1 for modulation of ER transcriptional activity.

FKBP3 is part of a family of immunosuppressant receptors which inhibit T-cell proliferation by arresting two distinct cytoplasmic signal transmission pathways. FKBP3 accelerates the folding of proteins. FKBP3 is part of the immunophilin protein family, which participates in immunoregulation and fundamental cellular processes concerning protein folding and trafficking. FKBP3 is a cis-trans prolyl isomerase enzyme that binds the immunosuppressants FK506 and rapamycin, as well as histone deacetylases, the transcription factor YY1, casein kinase II, and nucleolin. It has a greater affinity for rapamycin than for FK506 and therefore is a significant protein for immunosuppression by rapamycin.

TIMP2 belongs to the TIMP gene family. The proteins encoded by this gene family are natural inhibitors of the matrix metalloproteinases, a group of peptidases that take part in degradation of the extracellular matrix. Besides having an inhibitory role against metalloproteinases, the encoded protein has a exclusive part among TIMP family members in its capability to directly suppress the proliferation of endothelial cells. Consequently, the encoded protein is crucial to the conservation of tissue homeostasis by suppressing the production of quiescent tissues as an answer to angiogenic factors, and by inhibiting protease activity in tissues undergoing renovation of the extracellular matrix.

GTP Cyclohydrolase I Feedback Regulator, also known as GCHFR, is a Protein coding gene which includes a homodimer. GCHFR binds and mediates tetrahydrobiopterin inhibition of GTP cyclohydrolase I. GCHFR also regulates phenylalanine metabolism in the liver and in the production of biogenic amine neurotransmitters and nitric oxide.

CDC26 is a member of the CDC26 family which arranges progression via mitosis by enhancing cell-cycle regulators with ubiquitin chains. CDC26 is a component of the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), which is a cell cycle-regulated E3 ubiquitin ligase which directs progression through mitosis and the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The APC/C complex operates by mediating ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of target proteins.

CDC42 (Cell division cycle 42 isoform 1) is a small GTPase of the Rho-subfamily that regulates signaling pathways which control various cellular functions including cell morphology, migration, endocytosis and cell cycle progression. CDC42 is a plasma membrane-associated small GTPase which cycles between an active GTP-bound and an inactive GDP-bound state. In the active state, CDC42 binds to a variety of effector proteins to regulate cellular responses. CDC42 is involved in epithelial cell polarization processes. CDC42 causes the formation of thin, actin-rich surface projections called filopodia. Also, CDC42 regulates actin polymerization through its direct binding to N-WASP (Neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein), which subsequently activates Arp2/3 complex.
Loss of CDC42 function raises endocytotic uptake of apical proteins, as well as apical polarity factors such as Crumbs. The product of oncogene Dbl was described to specifically catalyze the dissociation of GDP from CDC42 protein.

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.

CMC4 is a downstream 8kDa protein restricts to mitochondria which was identified by participation in some t(X;14) translocations related with mature T-cell proliferations. This region has a compound gene structure, with a common promoter and 5’ exon spliced to two different groups of 3’ exons which encode 2 separate proteins.

UMP-CMP kinase and deoxycytidylate kinase (CMPK1) is an enzyme which catalyzes the phosphoryl transfer from ATP to UMP, CMP and dCMP. This enzymatic reaction brings about the formation of ADP and the corresponding nucleoside diphosphate that are necessary for cellular nucleic acid synthesis. In addition, CMPK1 has a significant role in the activation of pyrimidine analogs, which are clinically useful anti-cancer and anti-viral drugs.

CNN1 is a member of the calponin family. CNN1 is a thin filament-associated protein which is involved in the regulation and modulation of smooth muscle contraction. CNN1 is able to bind to actin, calmodulin, troponin C and tropomyosin. Prevention of actomyosin Mg-ATPase activity is a result of interaction between calponin and actin.