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Dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK3) belongs to the DKK protein family including Dkk-1, 2, 3 and -4. DKK3 is a 350 amino acid secreted glycoprotein which is comprised of an N-terminal signal peptide and 2 conserved cysteine-rich domains that are separated by a 12 amino acid linker region. DKK3 is involved in embryonic development through its inhibition of the WNT signaling pathway. DKK3 gene expression is decreased in a variety of cancer cell lines and it may act as a tumor suppressor gene.

CTK-19 is a member of the keratin family. The keratins are intermediate filament proteins responsible for the structural integrity of epithelial cells and are subdivided into cytokeratins and hair keratins. The type I cytokeratins consist of acidic proteins which are arranged in pairs of heterotypic keratin chains. Unlike its related family members, this smallest known acidic cytokeratin is not paired with a basic cytokeratin in epithelial cells. It is specifically expressed in the periderm, the transiently superficial layer that envelopes the developing epidermis. The type I cytokeratins are clustered in a region of chromosome 17q12-q21.

Interleukin 11 Receptor Subunit Alpha (IL11RA) which belongs to the hematopoietic cytokine receptor family is a receptor for interleukin-11. Interleukin 11 is a stromal cell-derived cytokine which is a member of a family of pleiotropic and redundant cytokines that employ the gp130 transducing subunit in their high affinity receptors. This specific receptor is quite similar to ciliary neurotrophic factor, since both contain an extracellular region with a two-domain structure composed of an immunoglobulin-like domain and a cytokine receptor-like domain. The receptor systems for IL6, LIF, OSM, CNTF, IL11 and CT1 are able to utilize IL6ST for initiating signal transmission. The IL11/IL11RA/IL6ST complex is involved in the control of proliferation and/or differentiation of skeletogenic progenitor or additional mesenchymal cells.

Podocalyxin (PODXL) is a greatly glycosylated transmembrane sialoprotein in the CD34 and endoglycan family. The PODXL protein is involved in the regulation of both adhesion and cell morphology and cancer progression. PODXL functions as an anti-adhesive molecule, which retains an open filtration pathway between neighboring foot processes in the podocyte by charge repulsion. Moreover, PODXL serves as a pro-adhesive molecule, enhancing the adherence of cells to immobilized ligands, increasing the rate of migration and cell-cell contacts in an integrin-dependent manner.

VAMP3 is present in recycling endosomes and endosome-derived vesicles. VAMP3 has been implicated in recycling of transferrin receptors to the plasma membrane, secretion of alpha-granules in platelets, recycling of T-cell receptors to the immunological synapses, and membrane trafficking during cell migration. VAMP-3 is present in human platelets and necessary for granule secretion. Synaptobrevins are the main components of a protein complex involved in the docking and/or fusion of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic membrane. VAMP3 high homology to other VAMPs in its broad tissue distribution and subcellular localization is shown to be the human equivalent of the rodent cellubrevin. In platelets the protein resides on a compartment that is not mobilized to the plasma membrane on calcium or thrombin stimulation.

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 that have been identified in mammals. The 14-3-3gamma, 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 RAF1 and protein kinase C, proteins involved in various signal transduction pathways.

ALDH2 is part of the aldehyde dehydrogenase family of proteins which catalyze the chemical transformation from acetaldehyde to acetic acid. ALDH2 is the second enzyme of the major oxidative pathway of alcohol metabolism. ALDH2 has 2 major liver isoforms: cytosolic and mitochondrial, which differ by their electrophoretic mobilities, kinetic properties, and subcellular localizations. Nearly all Caucasians have 2 major isozymes, whereas roughly 50% of Orientals have only the cytosolic isozyme, omitting the mitochondrial isozyme. The extremely higher rate of acute alcohol intoxication with Orientals compared to Caucasians is due to the fact of the absence of mitochondrial isozyme. ALDH2 has a low Km for acetaldehydes, and is localized in mitochondrial matrix.

Adenylate kinases plays a role in regulating the adenine nucleotide composition within a cell by catalyzing the reversible transfer of phosphate groups among adenine nucleotides. There are 3 types of adenylate kinase isozymes, AK1, AK2, and AK3 in vertebrates. Expression of these isozymes are tissue-specific and developmentally regulated. AK2 is localized in the mitochondrial intermembrane space and is involved in apoptosis. AK2 is mutated in individuals with reticular dysgenesis.

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.

Anthrax PA (Protective Antigen) and Anthrax LF (Lethal Factor), along with Anthrax EF (Edema Factor), are toxins produced by Bacillus anthracis. All three of the proteins must be present for toxicity to occur. It begins with the binding of PA to its cell-surface receptor, ATR (Anthrax Toxin Receptor), at which point PA is cleaved and the resulting 63 kD carboxyl-terminal fragment binds to LF and EF. LF is a protease that is known to cleave members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) family(2).

CRYGD is a member of the beta/gamma-crystallin family. Crystallins are the principal structural components of the vertebrate eye lens. The mammalian lens crystallins are divided into alpha, beta, and gamma families. Gamma-crystallins are involved in cataract formation. Defects in the CRYGD gene are responsible for cataract autosomal dominant (ADC), cataract congenital non-nuclear polymorphic autosomal dominant (CCP), cataract congenital cerulean type 3 (CCA3) and cataract crystalline aculeiform (CACA).

Cellular Repressor of E1A-Stimulated Genes 1 (CREG1) both activates and inhibits gene expression to stimulate cellular proliferation and hinder differentiation. CREG1 antagonizes transcriptional activation and cellular transformation by E1A. CREG1 shares partial sequence similarity with E1A and binds both the general transcription factor TBP and the tumor suppressor pRb in vitro. CREG1 contributes to the transcriptional control of cell growth and differentiation.

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex, Component X, also known as PDHX, encodes the E3 binding protein subunit of the PDH complex which contains 3 catalytic subunits. PDHX tethers E3 dimers to the E2 core of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes of eukaryotes. This specific binding is critical for a functional PDH complex.

Integrins are heterodimeric proteins consist of alpha and beta subunits. There are more than 18 alpha and 8 beta subunits discovered in mammals. Integrin family members are membrane receptors that participates in cell adhesion and recognition in a variety of processes including embryogenesis, hemostasis, tissue repair, immune response and metastatic diffusion of tumor cells. ITGB1 encodes a beta subunit.

Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 2 (PARP2) contains a catalytic domain which is homologous to that of poly (ADP-ribosyl) transferase but lacks an N-terminal DNA binding domain which activates the C-terminal catalytic domain of poly (ADP-ribosyl) transferase. PARP2 is capable of catalyzing a poly (ADP-ribosyl)ation reaction. The basic residues within the N-terminal area of this protein can bear potential DNA-binding properties, and can be engaged in the nuclear and/or nucleolar targeting of the protein. There has been found two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms.

NTRK2 plays a role in the growth and the development of the central and the peripheral nervous systems using the regulation of neuron proliferation, migration, survival, differentiation, and synapse production. NTRK2 is a receptor for B-DNF and NT4. NTRK2 binds to neurotrophin-3 which regulates neuron survival through NTRK2. NTRK-2 activates numerous effectors such as SHC-1, SH2B-1, PLCG-1 and SH2B-2 that control overlapping signaling cascades.

Apoptosis-Inducing Factor, Mitochondrion-Associated, 1 (AIFM1) is a mitochondrial protein which translocates to the nucleus once apoptosis has been initiated. AIFM1 causes DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation and also triggers the release of cytochrome c and caspase-9 from mitochondria. Bcl-2 overexpression prevents the release of AIFM1 from mitochondria, but doesn’t block its apoptogenic activity.

The scaffolding protein encoded by the CAV1 gene is the key component of the caveolae plasma membranes found in most cell types. Cholesterol is vital for caveolae formation and maintenance, and caveolae structure is highly sensitive to cholesterol depletion or treatment with cholesterol binding drugs. CAV1 can tightly and specifically bind free cholesterol and artificial cholesterol containing vesicles. Caveolin 1 links integrin subunits to the tyrosine kinase FYN, which is an initiating step in coupling integrins to the Ras-ERK pathway and promoting cell cycle progression. CAV1 is a tumor suppressor gene candidate and a negative regulator of the Ras-p42/44 mitogen-activated kinase. Caveolin 1 and caveolin 2 are positioned next to each other on chromosome 7 and express co-localizing proteins which form a stable hetero-oligomeric complex cascade. Mutations in the CAV1 gene are linked to Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy.

TRAIL Receptor-3, also known as TNFRSF10C belongs to theTNF-receptor super family. TNFRSF10C contains an extracellular TRAIL-binding domain as well as a transmembranedomain, however no cytoplasmic death domain. Furthermore, TNFRSF10C is not capable of inducing apoptosis, and is considered toact as an antagonistic receptor which protects cells from TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

Hexokinases phosphorylate glucose to produce glucose-6-phosphate, thus committing glucose to the glycolytic pathway. Hexokinase1 encodes a ubiquitous form of hexokinase which localizes to the outer membrane of mitochondria. Mutations in this gene have been associated with hemolytic anemia due to hexokinase deficiency. Alternative splicing of HXK1 results in five transcript variants which encode different isoforms, some of which are tissue-specific. Each isoform has a distinct N-terminus; the remainder of the protein is identical among all the isoforms. A sixth transcript variant has been described, but due to the presence of several stop codons, it is not thought to encode a protein.

STEAP1 is principally expressed in prostate tissue, and is found to be upregulated in multiple cancer cell lines. The STEAP1 is predicted a six-transmembrane protein, and was shown to be a cell surface antigen significantly expressed at cell-cell junctions.

SHMT1 is a member of the SHMT family. SHMT1 is the cellular form of serine hydroxymethyltransferase, a pyridoxal phosphate-containing enzyme which catalyzes the reversible conversion of serine and tetrahydrofolate to glycine and 5 10-methylene tetrahydrofolate. In addition, SHMT1 specifically provides one-carbon units for thymidylate biosynthesis, reduces methylenetetrahydrofolate pools for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthesis by synthesizing serine, sequesters 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and inhibits SAM synthesis.

Excess adiposity is the most important risk in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Adipose tissue produces several proteins (adipocytokines) such as leptin, adiponectin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6, that modulate insulin sensitivity and appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. However, the mechanisms by which fat tissue induces insulin resistance and the role of adipocytokines in the pathogenesis of T2DM have not been well established. Visfatin, also known as pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF), is a cytokine that is highly expressed in visceral fat and was originally isolated as a secreted factor that synergizes with IL-7 and stem cell factors to promote the growth of B cell precursors. Visfatin homologs have been identified in carp, invertebrate mollusks, and bacteria, as well as in vertebrates, including humans and the mouse. It h

Cytotoxicity Triggering Receptor 3 also known as NCR3 is a natural cytotoxicity receptor (NCR) which assists NK cells in the lysis of tumor cells. Moreover, NCR3 interacts with CD3-zeta (CD247), a T-cell receptor. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5' untranslated region of NCR3 has been related with mild malaria suceptibility. Three transcript variants encoding various isoforms have been found for this gene.