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Heat Shock Transcription Factor, Y-Linked 1 (HSFY1) is a member of the heat shock factor (HSF) family of transcriptional activators for heat shock proteins. HSFY1 is localizes to an area of chromosome Y which is from time to time deleted in infertile males and therefore is considered a gene for azoospermia. The genome has 2 identical duplicates of HSFY1 within a palindromic area.

Apolipoprotein H (APOH) attaches to numerous kinds of negatively charged substances for instance heparin, phospholipids, and dextran sulfate. APOH prevents activation of the intrinsic blood coagulation cascade by attaching to phospholipids on the surface of damaged cells. APOH expressed by the liver and secreted in the plasma.

HSPB11 is a component of IFT complex B composed of IFT88, IFT57, TRAF3IP1, IFT52, IFT27, HSPB11 and IFT20. HSPB11 is detected in the placenta.

HtrA2 also called Omi is a mammalian serine protease at high temperatures and has a chaperone activity at low temperature. The full-length HtrA2 is synthesized as a precursor protein and then targeted to the mitochondria where it is matured by the removal of N-terminal 133 residues. Mature HtrA2 consists of a putative transmembrane domain; an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP)-binding motif; a single C-terminal PDZ domain that mediates protein-protein interactions. Recently, HtrA2 has known to contribute both to caspase-dependent and caspase-independent cell death.

Translocase of Inner Mitochondrial Membrane 8 Homolog A (TIMM8A) takes part in the import and insertion of hydrophobic membrane proteins from the cytoplasm into the mitochondrial. TIMM8A plays a role as a chaperone-like protein which protects the hydrophobic precursors from aggregation and leads them through the mitochondrial intermembrane space. TIMM8A is essential for the transfer of beta-barrel precursors from the TOM complex to the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM complex) of the outer membrane. Defects in TIMM8A cause Jensen syndrome. TIMM8A and TIMM13, forms a 70 kDa heterohexamer.

Glucagon is an important hormone involved in carbohydrate metabolism. The hormone is synthesized and secreted from alpha cells (a-cells) of the islets of Langerhans, which are located in the endocrine portion of the pancreas. Glucagon is released when the glucose level in the blood is low (hypoglycemia), causing the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose and release it into the bloodstream. The action of glucagon is thus opposite to that of insulin, which instructs the body's cells to take in glucose from the blood in times of satiation.
Glucagon is beneficial for the culture of some cell types. It has been used in some biochemical regulation studies of glycogenolysis in hepatocytes. It has been also been found to induce DNA replication in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes when used in combinations with EGF and Insulin. Glucagon increases the blood glucose concentration by promoting rapid breakdown of liver glycogen, and also acts to relax smooth muscle such as the gastrointestinal tract.

CISD1 protein holds a CDGSH iron-sulfur domain and is known to bind a redox-active [2Fe-2S] cluster. CISD1 is restricted to the outer membrane of mitochondria and takes part in oxidation regulation.

Glutathione S-transferase A4 (GSTA4) is a member of the GST superfamily. The GSTA4 enzyme is involved in cellular defense against toxic, carcinogenic, and pharmacologically active electrophilic compounds. GSTA4 shows an especially high activity with reactive carbonyl compounds such as alk-2-enals. GSTA4 is extremely effective in catalyzing the conjugate addition of reduced glutathione to 4-hydroxynonenal, which is an important product of peroxidative degradation of arachidonic acid and a frequently used biomarker for oxidative damage in tissue. The GSTA4 enzyme is expressed at a high level in the brain, placenta, and skeletal muscle and much lower in the lung and liver.

Zinc Finger, CCHC Domain Containing 12 (ZCCHC12) which holds 1 CCHC-type zinc finger is a part of the ZCCHC12 family. ZCCHC12 takes part in the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-signaling pathway as a transcriptional coactivator. BMP signaling is positively modulated as a result of the interaction between ZCCHC12 with SMAD1 and the association with CBP in the transcription complex.

GDNF promotes the survival and differentiation of minergic neurons in culture, and is able to prevent apoptosis of motor neurons induced by axotomy. The encoded protein is processed to a mature secreted form that exists as a homodimer. The mature form of the protein is a ligand for the product of the RET (rearranged during transfection) protooncogene. In addition to the transcript encoding GDNF, two additional alternative transcripts encoding distinct proteins, referred to as astrocyte-derived trophic factors, have also been described. Mutations in this gene may be associated with Hirschsprung disease.
GDNF enhances survival and morphological differentiation of minergic neurons and increases their high-affinity uptake.

The signal sequence receptor (SSR) is a glycosylated endoplasmic reticulum membrane receptor related with protein translocation across the ER membrane. The SSR consists of 2 subunits, a 34-kD glycoprotein (alpha-SSR or SSR1) and a 22-kD glycoprotein (beta-SSR or SSR2). The human beta-signal sequence receptor gene (SSR2) maps to chromosome bands 1q21-q23. Diseases correlated with SSR2 include calcaneonavicular coalition, and osteosarcoma, and among its related super-pathways are Viral mRNA Translation and Generic Transcription Pathway.

The Fas receptor (CD95) mediates apoptotic signaling by Fas-ligand expressed on the surface of other cells. The Fas-FasL interaction plays an important role in the immune system and lack of this system leads to autoimmunity, indicating that Fas-mediated apoptosis removes self-reactive lymphocytes. Fas signaling is also involved in immune surveillance to remove transformed cells and virus infected cells. Binding of FAS to oligimerized FasL on another cell activates apoptotic signaling through a cytoplasmic domain termed the death domain that interacts with signaling adaptors including FAF, FADD and DAX to activate the caspase proteolytic cascade. Caspase-8 and caspase-10 are first activated, to then cleave and activate downstream caspases, and a variety of cellular substrates that lead to cell death. Caspases cleave nuclear lamins, causing the nucleus to break down and lose its normal structure and another caspase substrate is DFF, inducing cleavage and degradation of the genome. Other caspase substrates are involved in cytoskeletal structure, cell cycle regulation and signaling pathways. Activation of JNK kinase, activation of Jun, and production of ceramide may also play roles in Fas-mediated apoptosis. Activation of fas-mediated apoptosis is opposed by I-FLICE and FAP. Viruses and tumors may escape immune surveillance in part through suppression of fas-mediated apoptosis using similar mechanisms.

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 Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (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 heparin-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.

TLR2 belongs to the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family that plays a fundamental role in pathogen recognition and activation of innate immunity. TLRs are highly conserved from Drosophila to humans and share structural and functional similarities. They recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) which are expressed on infectious agents, and mediate the production of cytokines necessary for the development of effective immunity. The various TLRs exhibit different patterns of expression. TLR2 is expressed most abundantly in peripheral blood leukocytes, and mediates host response to Gram-positive bacteria and yeast via stimulation of NF-kappaB.

Trafficking protein particle complex 4 (TRAPPC4) is part of the multisubunit TRAPP (transport protein particle) complex and interacts with SDC2. TRAPPC4 has a role in vesicular transport from endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi.

Alanyl-tRNA synthetase is a member of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family, key enzymes of protein biosynthesis which charge tRNA molecules with the respective amino acids. This 108 kDa protein is an autoantigen recognized by PL-12 antibodies which occur in a subset of patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Preliminary data suggest that epitope spreading occurs in the autoimmune PL-12 response such that even antibodies to an isolated alanyl-tRNA molecule can develop.

Betaine-Homocysteine Methyltransferase 2 (BHMT2) is involved in the regulation of homocysteine metabolism. Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid which has a key role in methylation reactions. Transfer of the methyl group from betaine to homocysteine generates methionine, which donates the methyl group to methylate DNA, proteins, lipids, and other intracellular metabolites. BHMT2 is one of two methyl transferases which can catalyze the transfer of the methyl group from betaine to homocysteine. BHMT2 converts homocysteine to methionine using S-methylmethionine (SMM) as a methyl donor. Homocysteine metabolism anomalies are implicated in disorders varying from vascular disease to neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.

Transcriptional adapter 3 (TATD3) is a subunit of 2 histone acetyltransferase complexes, which functions as a component of the PCAF complex. TATD3 is a transcriptional activator adaptor that is also associates with the tumor suppressor protein p53 and is essential for full activity of p53 and p53-mediated apoptosis.

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.

Cadherin-5 (CDH5) belongs to the atypical/type 2 subgroup of Cadherin homophilic adhesion proteins. Cadherin-5 is a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule, which is comprised of 5 extracellular cadherin repeats, a transmembrane region and a highly conserved cytoplasmic tail. Cadherin-5 protein plays a role in the formation, maturation and remodeling of the vascular wall. CDH5 is generally considered to be specific for vascular endothelia in which it is either the sole or the predominant cadherin, often co-existing with N-cadherin. Moreover, the CDH5 protein regulates or is regulated by VEGF R2, type 1 and type 2 TGF-beta receptors, and other endothelial junction proteins such as JAM-C, Claudin-5, and N-Cadherin. CDH5 also connects with alpha-catenin forming a link to the cytoskeleton. CDH5 functions jointly with KRIT1 to create and maintain correct endothelial cell polarity and vascular lumen. Furthermore, Cadherin-5 is essential for activation of PRKCZ and for the localization of phosphorylated PRKCZ, PARD3, TIAM1 and RAP1B to the cell junction. The CDH5 gene is located in a gene cluster in a region on the long arm of chromosome 16 which is involved in loss of heterozygosity events in breast and prostate cancer.