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Podoplanin is a small mucin-like type-1 transmembrane protein, typically expressed in various specialized cell types throughout the body. Podoplanin is a type-I integral membrane glycoprotein with diverse distribution in human tissues. PDPN physiological function is related to its mucin-type character. The homologous protein in other species has been described as a differentiation antigen and influenza-virus receptor.
PDPN is expressed in lymphatic progenitor cells and afterwards during mouse development in lymphatic endothelial cells. Podoplanin is a specific marker for lymph vessel endothelial cells. Over-expression of podoplanin significantly elevates endothelial cell adhesion, migration, and tube formation. Inhibition of Podoplanin expression decreases cell adhesion in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells. Podoplanin is used as a specific marker for lymphatic endothelium in histopathology.
Podoplanin expression is increased in nearly all human colon, rectum, and small intestine tumors. AGGRUS may serve as a diagnostic marker that distinguishes seminomas, the majority of which over express the protein, from embryonal carcinoma in testicular germ cell tumors.

Calmodulin Like 3 (CALML3) is a member of the calmodulin family and contains 4 EF-hand domains. The CALML3 protein may be similar to that of genuine calmodulin and may in fact compete with calmodulin by binding, with different affinities, to cellular substrates. CALML3 protein is expressed in normal mammary, prostate, cervical, and epidermal tissues.

Calreticulin 3 (CALR3) belongs to the calreticulin (CRT) family which consists of calcium binding chaperones that are localized to the endoplasmic reticulum or sarcoplasmic reticulum in eukaryotes. CALR3, which is expressed mainly in testis, takes part in protein-folding, oligomeric assembly and quality control in the ER. CALR3 plays an important role as a cancer-testis antigen due to its frequent expression in many cancers.

PFDN5 is a member of the prefoldin alpha subunit family. Prefoldin (PFDN) being a ubiquitously expressed heterohexameric co-chaperone, is required for proper folding of nascent proteins, in particular, tubulin and actin. PFDN5 is one of 6 subunits of prefoldin, which is a molecular chaperone complex that binds and stabilizes newly synthesized polypeptides, thus allowing them to fold properly. The PFDN5 protein may also limit the transcriptional activity of the proto-oncogene c-Myc.

Profilin-1 also known as Pfn1 is a ubiquitous actin monomer-binding protein which is a member of the profilin family. Pfn1 significantly enhances skin wound healing in-vitro as well as in-vivo which is mediated by purinergic receptors. Furthermore, Pfn1 is also active in endothelial cell migration and vessel sprouting. Pfn1 is considered to regulate actin polymerization in response to extracellular signals.

THAP domain-containing protein 1 (THAP1) is a 213 amino acid protein which is restricted to the nucleoplasm and contains one THAPtype zinc finger, a conserved DNA-binding domain. THAP1 is a DNA-binding transcription regulator which regulates endothelial cell proliferation and G1/S cell-cycle progression. In addition, THAP1 has a pro-apoptopic activity by potentiating both serum-withdrawal and TNF-induced apoptosis. THAP1 protein colocalizes with the apoptosis response protein PAWR/PAR-4 in promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies, and serves as a proapoptotic factor which connects PAWR to PML nuclear bodies.

Coiled-Coil Domain Containing 25 (CCDC25) is a 208 amino acid protein belonging to the CCDC25 family.

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, dendritic cells and on trophoblast cells. The flt-1 gene was first described in 1990. The receptor contains seven immunoglobulin-like extracellular domains, a single transmembrane region and an intracellular splited tyrosine kinase domain. Compared to VEGFR-2 the Flt-1 receptor has a higher affinity for VEGF but a weaker signaling activity. VEGFR-1 thus leads not to proliferation of endothelial cells, but mediates signals for differentiation. Interestingly a naturally occuring soluble variant of VEGFR-1 (sVEGFR-1) was found in HUVE supernatants in 1996, which is generated by alternative splicing of the flt-1 mRNA. The biological functions of sVEGFR-1 still are not clear, but it seems to be an endogenous regulator of angiogenesis, binding VEGF with the same affinity as the full-length receptor.

Growth arrest and DNA Damage-Inducible Protein (GADD45A) binds both Cdks and PCNA. GADD45A is involved in DNA replication and repair. GADD45A stimulates DNA excision repair in vitro and inhibits entry of cells into S phase. GADD45A may serve as a link between p53-dependent cell cycle checkpoint and DNA repair. The GADD45A gene belongs to a group of genes whose transcript levels are increased following stressful growth arrest conditions and treatment with DNA-damaging agents. GADD45A responds to environmental stresses by mediating activation of the p38/JNK pathway via MTK1/MEKK4 kinase. GADD45A binds to proliferating cell nuclear antigen.

Cytokeratin 5 (KRT5) belongs to the keratin gene family. The type II cytokeratins are comprised of basic or neutral proteins which are arranged in pairs of heterotypic keratin chains coexpressed throughout differentiation of simple and stratified epithelial tissues. The type II cytokeratins are clustered in a region of chromosome 12q12-q13. The KRT5 type II cytokeratin is specifically expressed in the basal layer of the epidermis with family member KRT14. Mutations in these genes are linked with a complex of diseases termed epidermolysis bullosa simplex.

GID Complex Subunit 8, also known as GID8 is a member of the GID8 family. GID8 was recognized through a two hybrid-associated protein screen with RanBPM. GID8 acts together with RanBP9 and includes a protein complex with RanBPM and Muskelin.

Galectins are a family of animal lectins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. This family has at least 14 identified members. Galectins share similarities in the CRD (the carbohydrate recognition domain). Galectins are synthesized as cytosolic proteins. Though localized principally in the cytoplasm and lacking a classical signal peptide, galectins can also be stimulated to secretion by non-classical pathways or alternatively targeted to the nucleus. Galectins are involved in modulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Human Galectin-7 belongs to the prototypical Galectins containing a single CRD, which is initially identified in human epidermis as a monomer. The Galectin-7 expression is induced by tumor suppressor protein p53 and associated with apoptosis. Galectin-7 is a pro-apoptotic protein which functions intracellularlly upstream of JNK activation and mitochondrial cytochrome c release. The correlation of Galectin-7 with the UV-induced apoptosis of keratinocytes presents a critical mechanism in the maintenance of epidermal homeostasis. Human Galectin-7 is localized in both nucleus and cytoplasm.

LIMD2 is a protein-coding gene which holds one LIM zinc-binding domain. LIMD2 is related to illnesses such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer.

LIN28 is a marker of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells and it increases the productivity of the formation of induced pluripotent stem cells from human fibroblasts. LIN28 acts as a 'translational enhancer and therefore leading specific mRNAs to polysomes and causes an increased protein synthesis. LIN28 binds let-7 pre-miRNA and blocks production of the mature let-7 microRNA in mouse embryonic stem cells.

Parvalbumin alpha (PVALB) is a member of a larger group of EF hand proteins. PVALB is a high affinity calcium ion-binding protein which is structurally and functionally similar to calmodulin and troponin C. Parvalbumin is expressed in a specific population of GABAergic interneurones which are believed to have a role in maintaining the balance between excitation and inhibition in the cortex as well as the hippocampus.

CPLX1 is part of the SNARE family complex binding proteins that are catalysts or inhibitors of vesicle exocytosis. CPLX1 shows reduced Ca2+-triggered fast neurotransmitter release at hippocampal glutamatergic synapses, indicating that CPLX1 is a positive regulator of transmitter release. In contrast, CPLX1 inhibits SNARE-mediated liposome and cell fusions in vitro, that result in hypothesis thus acts as a fusion clamp of synaptic exocytosis. CPLX1 regulates a late step in synaptic vesicle exocytosis.

Reticulocalbin 3 (RCN3) belongs to the CREC (cab45/reticulocalbin/ ERC45/calumenin) family. RCN3 contains 5 Arg-Xaa-Xaa-Arg motifs, which function as target sequences of SPCs (subtilisin-like proprotein convertases), which is a family of serine endoproteases that proteolytically activate proproteins. The synthesis of PACE4 is induced by association and coexpression with RCN3.

Zinc Ribbon Domain Containing 1 (ZNRD1) is a protein which shows similarity to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rpa12p subunit of RNA polymerase I. ZNRD1 contains two potential zinc-binding motifs and takes part in regulation of cell proliferation. ZNRD1 is involved in cancer and human immunodeficiency virus progression. Alternate splicing of this gene results in two transcript variants encoding the same protein. Additional splice variants have been found, but their full-length sequences have not been determined.

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.

AHA1 is a cochaperone that stimulates hsp90 ATPase activity. AHSA1 binds the middle domain of Hsp90 (amino acid 272-627) and functions as an ATPase-activating protein that competes with p23 and other co-chaperones for Hsp90 binding.
AHA1 affects a step in the endoplasmic reticulum to golgi trafficking.

Aldolase C Fructose-Bisphosphate (ALDOC) belongs to the class I fructose-bisphosphate aldolase family. ALDOC is a glycolytic enzyme which catalyzes the reversible aldol cleavage of fructose-1,6-biphosphate and fructose 1-phosphate to dihydroxyacetone phosphate and either glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate or glyceraldehydes respectively. ALDOC is expressed exclusively in the hippocampus and Purkinje cells of the brain.

EIF2B1 is one of five subunits of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B (EIF2B), which is a GTP exchange factor for eukaryotic initiation factor 2 and an essential regulator for protein synthesis. Phosphorylation of eIF2 inhibits GEF activity of EIF2B, an inhibition which requires the eIF2B1 subunit. Defects in eIF2B1 are a cause of leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter (VWM), a brain disease which is characterized by head trauma and motor deterioration.