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Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 8 (CCL8) is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family that was once called monocyte chemotactic protein-2 (MCP-2). The CCL8 protein is produced as a precursor containing 109 amino acids, which is cleaved to produce mature CCL8 containing 75 amino acids. The gene for CCL8 is encoded by 3 exons and is located within a large cluster of CC chemokines on chromosome 17q11.2 in humans. MCP-2 is chemotactic for and activates a many different immune cells, including mast cells, eosinophils and basophils, (that are implicated in allergic responses), and monocytes, T cells, and NK cells that are involved in the inflammatory response. CCL8 elicits its effects by binding to several different cell surface receptors called chemokine receptors. These receptors include CCR1, CCR2B and CCR5.

Methionyl Aminopeptidase 1D (METAP1D) is a part of the peptidase M24A family. METAP1D which is overexpressed in colon cancer cell lines participates in tumorigenesis. METAP1D eliminates methionine from the N-terminus of nascent proteins.

Cystatin 7 (CST7) is a glycosylated cysteine protease inhibitor with a putative role in immune regulation through inhibition of a unique target in the hematopoietic system. Cystatin-7 is comprised of multiple cystatin-like sequences. The superfamily is comprised of 3 inhibitory families: the type 1 cystatins (stefins), type 2 cystatins and the kininogens. Some members are active cysteine protease inhibitors, while others have lost or possibly never had this inhibitory activity. Type 2 cystatin proteins are a class of cysteine proteinase inhibitors found in various human fluids and secretions. CST7 protein expression has been observed in numerous human cancer cell lines established from malignant tumors.

Collagen triple helix repeat-containing protein 1 or CTHRC1 acts as a negative regulator of collagen matrix deposition. The protein is secreted from a 28kDa protein which is glycosylated and very conserved from lower chordates to mammals. CTHRC1 is found qualitatively in plasma of healthy human subjects. CTHRC1 plasma levels are also significantly elevated during pregnancy, in diabetes, in inflammatory and infectious conditions, in subjects with acute myeloid leukemia but not in subjects with solid cancers.CTHRC1 is highly connected with calcified tissues and cartilaginous matrix, but not with endothelial cells.

Myeloperoxidase is an important enzyme used by granulocytes during phagocytic lysis of foreign particles engulfed. In normal tissues and in a variety of myeloproliferative disorders myeloid cells of both neutrophilic and eosinophilic types, at all stages of maturation, exhibit strong cytoplasmic reactivity for MPO. Erythroid precursors, megakaryocytes, lymphoid cells, mast cells, and plasma cells are nonreactive. MPO is not observed in the neoplastic cells of a wide variety of epithelial tumors and sarcomas. MPO is useful in differentiating between myeloid and lymphoid leukemias.

mRNA turnover protein 4 homolog (MRTO4) is a member of the ribosomal protein L10P family. MRTO4 is a protein sharing a low level of sequence similarity with ribosomal protein P0. Though the precise function of the MRTO4 is presently unknown, it seems to be involved in mRNA turnover and ribosome assembly. MRTO4 is a nucleolar component of the ribosome assembly apparatus which shares remarkable similarity and contends for binding to the 25S rRNA GAR domain with the ribosomal protein P0. The MRTO4 gene is located on human chromosome 1, which extends over 260 million base pairs, is comprised of over 3,000 genes and contains approximately 8% of the human genome.

Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C4 or AKR1C4 is a part of the aldo/keto reductase superfamily that has more then 40 known proteins & enzymes. AKR1C4 catalyzes the conversion of aldehydes and ketones to their corresponding alcohols with NADH and/or NADPH as cofactors. AKR1C4 takes place in the bioreduction of chlordecone, a toxic organochlorine pesticide, to chlordecone alcohol in the liver tissue.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase B3 (MSRB3) is a member of the methionine sulfoxide reductases (MSR) family proteins. MSRB3 catalyzes the reduction of methionine sulfoxide to methionine. The MSRB3 enzyme acts as a monomer and requires zinc as a cofactor. MSRs are thought to defend against reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative damage in various organs, including the most environmentally exposed organ, the human skin. MSRB3 has a vital role in cold tolerance by eliminating MetO and ROS which accumulate at the ER during cold acclimation.

Scavenger mRNA-decapping enzyme (DCPS) is a member of the HIT family. DCPS is required for the complete degradation of mRNAs, both in normal mRNA turnover and in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. It was shown that DCPS hydrolyzes the residual m7GpppN cap structure after the complete 3'–5' degradation of the mRNA by the exosome. Furthermore, DCPS releases m7GMP and is incapable of cleaving cap structures attached to a long RNA chain.

ALDH3A1 is involved in the detoxification of alcohol-derived acetaldehyde. ALDH3A1 participates in the metabolism of corticosteroids, biogenic amines, neurotransmitters, and lipid peroxidation. ALDH3A1 oxidizes aromatic aldehyde substrates and toxic aldehydes. ALDH3A1 forms a cytoplasmic homodimer that oxidizes aromatic and medium-chain saturated and unsaturated aldehyde substrates. ALDH3A1 promotes resistance to UV and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-induced oxidative damage in the cornea.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase B1 (SEPX1 or MSRB1), is a selenoprotein that contains a selenocysteine (Sec) residue at its active site. The selenocysteine is encoded by the UGA codon that usually signals translation termination. SEPX1 is a member of the methionine sulfoxide reductase B (MsrB) family, and is expressed in an assortment of adult and fetal tissues. MSRs (Methionine sulfoxide reductases) catalyze the reduction of free and protein-bound methionine sulfoxides to corresponding methionines. The oxidation of methionine by ROS creates a diastereomeric mixture of methionine-S-sulfoxide (Met-S-SO) and methionine-R-sulfoxide (Met-R-SO). Two separate enzyme families evolved for reduction of these sulfoxides, with methionine-S-sulfoxide reductase (MsrA) being stereospecific for Met-S-SO and methionine-R-sulfoxide reductase (MsrB) for Met-R-SO.

NAT1 is a member of the arylamine N-acetyltransferase family. NAT1 catalyzes N- or O-acetylation of heterocyclic and arylamine substrates in the detoxification of a large number of drugs. Several alleles triggering high levels of N-acetyltransferase activity were linked to colon and urinary bladder cancers, since NAT1 also bioactivate numerous known carcinogens. NAT1 aids metabolize drugs and other xenobiotics, and takes part in the detoxification of a plethora of hydrazine and arylamine drugs.

NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1 beta subcomplex subunit 9 (NDUFB9) which is a part of the complex I LYR family is localized to the internal mitochondrial membrane, as well as to the matrix side of the peripheral membrane. NDUFB9 serves as an accessory subunit of the multi-subunit mitochondrial membrane respiratory chain NADH dehydrogenase complex I. Complex I takes a crucial part in the transfer of electrons from NADH to the respiratory chain, a process which is vital for cellular respiration.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase [NAD] subunit gamma (IDH3G) mitochondrial is a member of the isocitrate and isopropylmalate dehydrogenases family. Isocitrate dehydrogenases catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate to 2-oxoglutarate. The IDH3G is a gamma subunit of one isozyme of isocitrate dehydrogenase which belongs to a distinct subclass, which utilizes NAD(+) as the electron acceptor, and is restricted to the mitochondrial matrix.

Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is a member of a family of DNA-binding proteins which includes the AP-1 family of transcription factors, cAMP-response element binding proteins and CREB-like proteins. The ATF4 gene encodes a transcription factor which was initially identified as a widely expressed mammalian DNA binding protein that could bind a tax-responsive enhancer element in the LTR of HTLV-1.

Endonuclease III (nth) is a DNA repair enzyme which has both DNA N-glycosylase activity and AP-lyase activity. The DNA N-glycosylase activity releases numerous damaged pyrimidines from DNA by cleaving the N-glycosidic bond and leaving an AP (apurinic/apyrimidinic) site. This AP-lyase activity cleaves the phosphodiester bond 3' to the AP site by a beta-elimination, thus leaving a 3'-terminal unsaturated sugar and a product with a terminal 5'-phosphate.

BCL2 gene encodes an integral outer mitochondrial membrane protein that blocks the apoptotic death of some cells such as lymphocytes. Constitutive expression of BCL2, such as in the case of translocation of BCL2 to Ig heavy chain locus, is thought to be the cause of follicular lymphoma. Two transcript variants, produced by alternate splicing, differ in their C-terminal ends.

ENO1 is a homodimeric soluble protein that encodes a smaller monomeric structural lens protein, tau-crystallin. ENO1 is a glycolytic enzyme expressed in mainly all tissues. ENO1 isoenzyme full length protein is found in the cytoplasm. The shorter protein is formed from another translation start that is restricted to the nucleus, and binds to a component in the c-myc promoter. ENO1 is involved in anaerobic metabolism under hypoxic conditions and plays a role as a cell surface plasminogen receptor during tissue invasion. Irregular expression of Enolase-1 is linked with tumor progression in several cases of breast and lung cancer. Enolase-1 is as an auto antigen associated with Hashimoto's encephalopathy and severe asthma. ENO1 is the target protein of serum anti-endothelial antibody in Behcet's disease.

BIRC7 is a part of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family and contains a single copy of a baculovirus IAP repeat (BIR) as well as a RING-type zinc finger domain. The BIR domain is necessary for inhibitory activity & cooperates with caspases, while the RING finger domain sometimes increases anti-apoptotic activity but doesn’t inhibit apoptosis by itself. 2 transcript variants encoding diverse isoforms have been found for this gene. The 2 isoforms have dissimilar antiapoptotic characteristics, with isoform a protecting cells from apoptosis induced by staurosporine and isoform b defending cells from apoptosis induced by etoposide.
BIRC7 has direct contact with several caspases together with caspase-3, caspase-7, & caspase –9. BIRC7 inhibits the activation of caspase-9 induced by Apaf-1, cytochrome c, and dATP.

Epoxide Hydrolase 1 Microsomal (EPHX1) is a vital biotransformation enzyme which transfers epoxides from the degradation of aromatic compounds to trans-dihydrodiols that can be conjugated and excreted from the body. Epoxide hydrolase plays a role in both activation and detoxification of epoxides. Mutations in EPHX1 trigger preeclampsia, epoxide hydrolase deficiency or increased epoxide hydrolase activity.

Complement C1q Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Protein 5 (C1QTNF5) encodes a short-chain collagen which is expressed mainly in sub-retinal pigment epithelium, ciliary epithelium and adipose tissue. C1QTNF5 is increased in mtDNA-depleted myocytes and stimulates the phosphorylation of AMP activated protein kinase. C1QTNF5 takespart in the adhesion of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to the Bruch Membrane. Mutations in C1QTNF5 have been associated with late-onset retinal degeneration.

CARD18 belongs to the death-domain-fold superfamily which is induced by proinflammatory stimuli. CARD18 contains basically only a Caspase recruitment domain, inhibits generation of IL-1b by cooperating with caspase-1 and inhibiting connotation with RIP 2. The connotation of CARD18 to caspase-1 is enabled by the charge-charge interactions between the prodomain of caspase-1 and the surface charge of CARD18.

IMPDH2 is a member of the IMPDH/GMPR family. IMPDH2 catalyzes the NAD-dependent oxidation of inosine-5'-monophosphate into xanthine-5'-monophosphate, which is afterward converted into guanosine-5'-monophosphate. IMPDH2 is the rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo guanine nucleotide biosynthesis. IMPDH2 is consequently involved in maintaining cellular guanine deoxy- and ribonucleotide pools required for DNA and RNA synthesis. In addition, IMPDH1 and IMPDH2 are targets for the important immunosuppressive drug, MPA. Furthermore, the IMPDH2 gene is up-regulated in some neoplasms, suggesting it may have a role in malignant transformation.

Fractalkine soluble form is chemotactic for t-cells and monocytes, but not for neutrophils. Fractalkine membrane-bound form promotes adhesion of those leukocytes to endothelial cells. Fractalkine regulates leukocyte adhesion and migration processes at the endothelium and binds to CX3CR1. Natural Human Fractalkine is produced as a long protein (373-amino acid) with an extended mucin-like stalk and a chemokine domain on top. The mucin-like stalk permits it to bind to the cell surface. Fractalkine gene is located on human chromosome 16 along with some CC chemokines known as CCL17 and CCL22.