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Factor that is thought to be a regulator of hematopoiesis. It has been shown to enhance the growth of human mast cells and megakaryoblastic leukemic cells as well as murine helper t-cell clones. IL-9 is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 32-39 that is derived from T-cells, and maps to human chromosome 5.

Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM1) induces susceptibility to atherosclerosis. PECAM1 averts phagocyte ingestion of closely apposed viable cells by transmitting detachment signals, and transforms function upon apoptosis, thus promoting tethering of dying cells to phagocytes. The encounter of a viable cell with a phagocyte via the homophilic interaction of PECAM1 on both cell surfaces as a result causing the viable cell's active repulsion from the phagocyte.

Chitinase is a digestive enzyme which breaks down glycosidic bonds in chitin. Due to chitin being a component of the cell walls of fungi and exoskeletal elements of some animals (including worms and arthropods), chitinases are usually found in organisms that either need to remake their own chitin or to dissolve and digest the chitin of fungi or animals. Chitinivorous organisms include many bacteria genuses such as Aeromonas, Bacillus, Vibrio, among others, which may be pathogenic or detritivorous. Chitinase expression is mediated by the NPR1 gene and the salicylic acid pathway, both of which are involved in resisting fungal and insect attack. Human chitinases appear in gastric juices. They are likely to be digestive chitinases, for catabolic activity. Chitinase activity is identified systemically in humans, in the blood, and possibly cartilage. Chitinase has been related to allergies, asthma in particular has been linked to enhanced chitinase expression levels, also dust mites and mold spores which are both chitin covered.

Platelet factor-4 is a 70-amino acid protein that is released from the alpha-granules of activated platelets.PF4’s major physiologic role appears to be neutralization of molecules on the endothelial surface of blood vessels, thereby inhibiting local antithrombin III activity and promoting coagulation. As a strong chemoattractant for neutrophils and fibroblasts, PF4 probably has a role in inflammation and wound repair. Oncostatin-A is a member of the CXC chemokine family. Furthermore, it is used as an inhibitor in the angiogenesis during tumor therapy.

GH-releasing peptides (GHRPs) are synthetic peptides that like GHRH act directly on pituitary somatotrophs to stimulate GH release. GHRP-2, an investigational drug, is one of the most potent members of the GHRP family. It has been shown to be effective in adults via the oral and intranasal as well as the iv route of administration.

TRIM21 is a member of the tripartite motif (TRIM) family. The TRIM motif includes three zinc-binding domains, a RING, a B-box type 1 and a B-box type 2, and a coiled-coil region. The 52 kDa Ro protein is part of the RoSSA ribonucleoprotein, which includes a single polypeptide and one of four small RNA molecules. The RoSSA particle localizes to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Ro/SSA interacts with autoantigens in patients with Sjogren syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. Ribonucleoprotein particle is composed of a single polypeptide and one of four small RNA molecules. The RoSSA is present in all mammalian cells studied but has no known function. At least 2 isoforms are present in nucleated and red blood cells, and tissue specific differences in Ro/SSA proteins were identified.

Art v 1, Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) is a common weed in the Mediterranean area. The significant allergen of mugwort pollen, is a secreted modular glycoprotein with a N-terminal defensin-like and a C-terminal hydroxyproline-rich domain. The reactivity of IgE antibodies is primarily aimed to epitopes located in the N-terminal domain.

PEBP1 (Phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein 1) belongs to the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein family and a serine protease inhibitor that inhibits thrombin, neuropsin. PEBP1 plays a key modulatory part in several protein kinase signaling cascades. PKC phosphorylates PEBP1, resulting in the release of Raf-1 and activation of MEK and ERK. PEBP1 is expressed in many tissues and implicated in the regulation of such physiological processes as membrane biosynthesis, spermatogenesis, neural development, and metastasis suppression.
PEBP1 binds ATP, opioids and phosphatidylethanolamine, however it has lower affinity for phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine. PEBP1 may also be involved in the function of the presynaptic cholinergic neurons of the CNS. PEBP1 increases the production of choline acetyltransferase although not acetylcholinesterase. Furtheremore, PEBP1 functions in potentially sequestering toxic compounds, including locostatin which may have harmful effects on cells.
Loss of PEBP1 expression may have a significant role as prognostic marker in Gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In addition, PEBP1 is found differentially expressed in the Wernicke's Area from schizophrenia patients. PEBP1 is also, an invasion suppressor protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is a member of the Thrombospondin family and is encoded by the gene THBS1 which is a subunit of a disulfide-linked homotrimeric protein. Thrombospondin-1 is an adhesive glycoprotein that mediates cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions. Thrombospondin-1 can bind to fibrinogen, fibronectin, laminin, type V collagen and integrins alpha-V/beta-1. TSP1 has been shown to play roles in platelet aggregation, angiogenesis, and tumorigenesis. TSP1 has been shown to be a natural inhibitor of neovascularization and tumorigenesis in healthy tissue. TSP1 interacts with no less than 12 cell adhesion receptors, including CD36, av integrins, b1 integrins, syndecan, and integrin-associated protein (IAP or CD47). It also interacts with various proteases involved in angiogenesis, including plasminogen, matrix metalloproteinase, thrombin, cathepsin, and elastase. Positive and negative modulation of endothelial cell adhesion, motility, and growth are attributed to TSP1. Recently, thrombospondin-1 was found to bind to the reelin receptors, ApoER2 and VLDLR, in so doing affecting neuronal migration in the rostral migratory stream.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP), also known as argipressin or antidiuretic hormone (ADH), is a human hormonethat is released when the body is low on water; it causes the kidneysto conserve water, but not salt, by concentrating the urineand reducing urine volume. It also raises blood pressure by inducing moderate vasoconstriction. It has various effects in the brain.
A very similar substance, lysine vasopressin (LVP) or lypressin, has the same function in pigsand is often used in human therapy.
Vasopressin is a peptide hormone. It is derived from a preprohormoneprecursor that is synthesized in the hypothalamus, from which it is liberated during transport to the posterior pituitary. Most of it is stored in the posterior partof the pituitary glandto be released into the blood stream; some of it is also released directly into the brain.
AVP allows water reabsorption by the introduction of additional water channels in cortical and inner medullary collecting ducts.

Adiponectin, also referred to as Acrp30, AdipoQ and GBP-28, is a recently discovered 244 amino acid protein, the product of the apM1 gene, which is physiologically active and specifically and highly expressed in adipose cells (Adipokine). The protein belongs to the soluble defense collagen super family; it has a collagen-like domain structurally homologous with collagen VIII and X and complement factor C1q-like globular domain. APM-1 forms homotrimers, which are the building blocks for higher order complexes found circulating in serum.

Alpha-cardiac actin belongs to the actin family which is comprised of three main groups of actin isoforms, alpha, beta, and gamma. The alpha actins are found in muscle tissues and are a major constituent of the contractile apparatus. Defects in the cardiac actin have been associated with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) and familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC).

Prolactin is a neuroendocrine hormone synthesized primarily by the pituitary gland but also a variety of other cell types including the placenta, brain and uterus. Its primary function is to promote and maintain lactation but has also been shown to have a role in breast cancer development, regulation of reproductive function and immunoregulation.

SOS1, also known as Gingival Fibromatosis, is a Ras & Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor. SOS1 is comprised of a number of significant domains. The REM and CDC25 domains provide the catalytic activity of SOS1 towards Ras and the histone fold DH/PH (Dbl homology & Pleckstrin homology) domains function, in tandem, to stimulate GTP/GDP exchange for Rac. Moreover, binding of GTP activates Ras proteins, and subsequent hydrolysis of the bound GTP to GDP and phosphate inactivates signaling by these proteins. GTP binding can be catalyzed by guanine nucleotide exchange factors for RAS, and GTP hydrolysis can be enhanced by GTPase-activating proteins.

Muted homolog (MUTED) is a component of the BLOC-1 complex, a complex which is necessary for normal biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles (LRO), such as platelet dense granules and melanosomes. The BLOC-1 complex is needed to steer membrane protein cargos into vesicles assembled at cell bodies for release into neurites and nerve terminals. In addition, this complex, along with SNARE proteins, is suggested to be involved in neurite extension. MUTED also interacts with pallidin, dystrobrevin binding protein 1 and CNO/cappuccino. MUTED is ubiquitously expressed with higher levels in the brain, bone marrow, kidney, and liver and lower levels in the skeletal muscle.

Interleukin-9 is a protein that acts as one of the regulators of hematopoiesis. IL-9 is an enhancer of cells and megakaryoblastic leukemic cells’ growth. Among this protein’s producers we can find cells like mast cells, Treg, NKT cells, Th17, Th2, ILC2, and Th9 cells in various amounts. Th9 are the primary CD4 cells (T cells) that IL-9 is produced in.

Kallikrein-15 (KLK15) is one of the 15 kallikrein subfamily members located in a cluster on chromosome 19. KLK15 contains numerous polyadenylation sites and alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. KLK15 is over expressed in prostate cancer and therefore uses as a diagnostic or prognostic marker for prostate cancer.

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.

STIM1 is a type-1 transmembrane protein that is necessary for store-operated Ca(2+) entry, a process of extracellular Ca(2+) influx in response to the depletion of Ca(2+) stores in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). STIM1 localizes predominantly to the ER; upon Ca(2+) release from the ER, STIM1 translocates to the ER-plasma membrane junctions and activates Ca(2+) channels. STIM1 is an adhesion molecule involved in early hematopoiesis by mediating attachment to stromal cells. STIM1 controls the survival and/or proliferation of b-cell precursors. STIM1 gene is one of several genes located in the imprinted gene domain of 11p15.5, a significant tumor-suppressor gene region. Alterations in this region have been associated with the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Wilms tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, adrenocrotical carcinoma, and lung, ovarian, and breast cancer. STIM1 is involved in malignancies as well as early hematopoiesis, by mediating attachment to stromal cells. STIM1 is oriented in a head-to-tail configuration with the ribonucleotide reductase 1 gene (RRM1), with the 3' end of this gene situated 1.6 kb from the 5' end of the RRM1 gene.

Nucleobindin-2 (also known as NUCB2 or Nesfatin) is a EF-hand calcium-binding protein. Nucleobindin-2 takes part in calcium homeostasis and is a multifunctional protein that interacts with Ca(2+) nucleic acids & various regulatory proteins in different signaling pathways. NUCB2 (Nesfatin) is localized in neuronal perikarya and dendrites of mouse brain.

Thyroglobulin (TG) represents one of the main autoantigenic targets in autoimmune thyroid disease of humans. TG is a large globular dimeric glycoprotein with a total molecular weight of 660 kDa, which occupies a key precursor role in the biosynthesis of the thyroid hormones. Approximately 75% of the total protein content of the thyroid follicle consists of TG. The thyroid gland uses the Thyroglobulin in order to produce the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroglobulin is produced by the thyroid epithelial cells (thyrocytes) which form spherical follicles. Thyroglobulin is subsequently secreted and stored in the follicular lumen.
Patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease, frequently develop antibodies against Thyroglobulin. Tg-specific antibodies help in the diagnosis of the above diseases, however they also may be present in apparently healthy euthyroid individuals. Blood Thyroglobulin levels can be used as a tumor marker for certain kinds of thyroid cancer, and the may also be elevated in cases of Graves' disease.

HCV is a small 50nm, enveloped, single-stranded, positive sense RNAvirus in the family Flaviviridae.
HCV has a high rate of replication with approximately one trillion particles produced each day in an infected individual. Due to lack of proofreading by the HCV RNA polymerase, the HCV has an exceptionally high mutation rate, a factor that may help it elude the host's immune response. Hepatitis C virus is classified into six genotypes(1-6) with several subtypes within each genotype. The preponderance and distribution of HCV genotypes varies globally. Genotype is clinically important in determining potential response to interferon-based therapy and the required duration of such therapy. Genotypes 1 and 4 are less responsive to interferon-based treatment than are the other genotypes (2, 3, 5 and 6).