Search results

CD81 antigen isoform 1, also known as CD81, is part of the tetraspanin family. CD81 interacts directly with immunoglobulin superfamily member 8 (IGSF8, CD316) and CD36. In B cells, CD81 is part of a complex with CD21, CD19 and Leu13. Furthermore, this complex decreases the threshold for B cell activation through B cell receptors by linking Ag specific recognition and CD21 mediator recognition. While on T cells CD81 connects with CD4 and CD8 and provides a costimulatory signal with CD3.

The NUP210 complex is a immense structure which spreads through the nuclear envelope, forming a doorway which regulates the flow of macromolecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Nucleoporins are the core components of the nuclear pore complex in eukaryotic cells. NUP210 is a membrane-spanning glycoprotein and is a major component of the nuclear pore complex.

RGS2 belongs to the RGS family which are regulatory molecules that act as GTPase activating proteins for G alpha subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins. RGS2 inhibits signal transduction by increasing the GTPase activity of G protein alpha subunits and as a result driving them into their inactive GDP-bound form.

Interleukin-23 receptor (IL23R) is a member of the type I cytokine receptor family, Type 2 subfamily. IL23R contains two fibronectin type-III domains and is expressed by monocytes, Th1, Th0, NK and dendritic cells. IL23R protein pairs with the receptor molecule IL12RB1/IL12Rbeta1, and both are necessary for IL23A signaling. IL23R protein associates constitutively with JAK2 (Janus kinase 2), and it also binds to transcription activator STAT3 in a ligand-dependent manner. IL23R binds IL23 and mediates T-cells, NK cells and perhaps certain macrophage/myeloid cells stimulation most likely by way of activation of the Jak-Stat signaling cascade. IL23R might be responsible for autoimmune inflammatory diseases and be vital for tumorigenesis.

Interleukin-1 ra is a member of the interleukin 1 cytokine family. This protein inhibits the activities of interleukin 1, alpha (IL1A) and interleukin 1, beta (IL1B), and modulates a variety of interleukin 1 related immune and inflammatory responses. This gene and five other closely related cytokine genes form a gene cluster spanning approximately 400 kb on chromosome 2. A polymorphism of this gene is reported to be associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fractures and gastric cancer. Four alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported.

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.

Synaptobrevin-2 or VAMP2 is a protein that has a proline-rich N-terminal part, highly conserved hydrophilic domain, a transmembrane anchor and a C-terminal.VAMP2 found in the transmembrane region of the cell, in the cytoplasmic surface of the synaptic vesicle. The protein is mainly found in the Langerhans islets in the pancreas and glomerular cells in the kidney. A SNARE complex is created within the protein’s N-terminal domain and the target membrane-associated T.

HIV-1 Nef is a 27kDa protein highly produced after a very short time after virus infection. HIV-1 Nef is an essential factor for efficient viral replication and phatogenesis.
HIV-1 Nef facilitates virus replication and improves virions infectivity. HIV-1 Nef exerts pleiotropic effect. HIV-1 Nef down-modulates surface MHC-I molecules, decreases cell surface CD4 antigen by interacting with the Src family kinase LCK thereby inducing LCK-CD4 dissociation and by increasing clathrindependent endocytosis of this antigen to target it to lysosomial degradation. HIV-1 Nef guards the infected cell from apoptosis in order to keep it alive until the next virus generation is ready to strike. HIV-1 Nef protein bypasses host Tcell signaling by inducing a transcriptional program nearly identical to that of anti-CD3 cell activation.

L1 Cell Adhesion Molecule (L1CAM) which is a cell adhesion receptor of the immunoglobulin superfamily takes part in nerve cell function. L1CAM is a neural cell adhesion molecule involved in the dynamics of cell adhesion and in the generation of transmembrane signals at tyrosine kinase receptors. L1CAM takes part in cell migration, neurite outgrowth and myelination. Furthermore, L1CAM plays an important role in the dynamics of neuronal structure and function in the mature brain.

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.

Twinfilin (TWF1) is a ubiquitous actin-monomer-binding protein which is composed of two ADF-homology domains. Twinfilin forms a 1:1 complex with ADP-actin-monomers, prevents nucleotide exchange on actin monomers and blocks assembly of the monomer into filaments. TWF1 is composed of 2 ADF/cofilin-like (ADF-H) domains joined by a short linker region and followed by a C-terminal tail of approximately 20 residues. The 2 ADF-H domains are approximately 20% homologous to ADF/cofilin and to each other. TWF1 protein may be an actin monomer-binding protein, and its localization to cortical G-actin-rich structures might be regulated by the small GTPase RAC1.

Borrelia belongs to a genus of bacteria of the spirochete phylum. Borrelia causes borreliosis, which is a zoonotic, vector-borne disease transmitted mainly by ticks and some by lice, depending on the species. Of the 36 known species of Borrelia, 12 are distinguished to cause Lyme disease or borreliosis and are transmitted by ticks. The main Borrelia species causing Lyme disease are Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii. The Borrelia genus members have a linear chromosome which is about 900 kbp in length as well as an excess of both linear and circular plasmids in the 5-220 kbp size range. The plasmids are atypical, as compared to most bacterial plasmids, since they contain many paralogous sequences, a large number of pseudogenes and, in some cases, essential genes. Moreover, a number of the plasmids have features suggesting that they are prophages.

Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein 1 (PGLYRP1) is a member of the N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase 2 family. PGLYRP1 binds to peptidoglycan of bacteria and affects the peptidoglycan biosynthesis. PGLYRP1 displays bactericidal activity towards Gram-positive bacteria and is bacteriostatic towards Gram-negative bacteria. PGLYRP1 has a role in innate immunity. PGLYRP1 is highly expressed in the bone marrow, and weakly expressed in the kidney, liver, small intestine, spleen, thymus, peripheral leukocyte, lung, fetal spleen and neutrophils.

CCL25 (Teck) is a novel CC chemokine, which is distantly related (about 20% amino acid sequence identity) to other CC chemokines. The mouse CCL25 cDNA has also been cloned and shown to encode a 144 a.a. protein, which exhibits 49% a.a. sequence identity to the human CCL25. Human and mouse CCL25 expression was shown to be greatly restricted to the thymus and small intestine. While dendritic cells are identified as the source of CCL25 production in the thymus, dendritic cells derived from bone marrow do not express CCL25. CCL25 signals through the CCR9 receptor. Teck is possibly involved in T-cell development.
Recombinant human and mouse Teck were shown to be chemotactic for activated macrophages, dendritic cells and thymocytes. The recombinant protein demonstrates chemotactic activity on thymocytes, macrophages, THP-1 cells, and dendritic cells but is inactive on peripheral blood lymphocytes and neutrophils.

Persephin is a member of the GDNF ligand subfamily of the TGF-beta superfamily. PSPN encourages the existence and growth of key dopaminergic and motor neurons, as well as taking part in kidney development. Nonetheless, persephin does not support existence of peripheral neurons.

GDNF promotes the survival and differentiation of 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 neurons and increases their high-affinity uptake.

Granulocyte Chemotactic Protein 2 (CXCL6), also known as GCP-2, is a Chemotactic for neutrophil granulocytes. GCP-2 signals through binding and activation of its receptors (CXCR1 and CXCR2). GCP-2 has strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in addition to its chemotactic and angiogenic property.

TNFR binds specifically to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and blocks its interaction with cell surface TNF receptors. TNF is a naturally occurring cytokine that is involved in normal inflammatory and immune responses. It plays an important role in the inflammatory processes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polyarticular-course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), and ankylosing spondylitis and the resulting joint pathology. In addition, TNF plays a role in the inflammatory process of plaque psoriasis. Elevated levels of TNF are found in involved tissues and fluids of patients with RA, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and plaque psoriasis. Two distinct receptors for TNF (TNFRs), a 55 kilodalton protein (p55) and a 75 kilodalton protein (p75), exist naturally as monomeric molecules on cell surfaces and in soluble forms. Biological activity of TNF is dependent upon binding to either cell surface TNFR. Recombinant Human TNFR is a dimeric soluble form of the p75 TNF receptor that can bind to two TNF molecules.
It inhibits the activity of TNF in vitro and has been shown to affect several animal models of inflammation, including murine collagen-induced arthritis. TNFR inhibits binding of both TNF? and TNF? (lymphotoxin alpha [LT?]) to cell surface TNFRs, rendering TNF biologically inactive. Cells expressing transmembrane TNF that bind to TNFR are not lysed in vitro in the presence or absence of complement.
TNFR can also modulate biological responses that are induced or regulated by TNF, including expression of adhesion molecules responsible for leukocyte migration (i.e., E-selectin and to a lesser extent intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [ICAM-1]), serum levels of cytokines (e.g., IL-6), and serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3 or stromelysin).

Galectin-3 mediates with the alpha-3, beta-1 integrin the stimulation by cspg4 of endothelial cells migration. Galectin-3 plays an necessary part during the acquisition of vasculogenic mimicry and angiogenic properties associated with melanoma progression. LGALS3 overexpression is highly expressed in early stages of papillary carcinoma, and its expression intensity declines during tumor progression. Serum levels of LGALS3 are high in patients with thyroid malignancy but there is considerable overlap in serum LGALS3 concentrations between those with benign and malignant nodular thyroid disease. LGLAS3 takes part as an immune regulator to inhibit T-cell immune responses and promote tumor growth, as a result providing a new mechanism for tumor immune tolerance.

CXADR is a component of the epithelial apical junction complex which operates as an homophilic cell adhesion molecule and is crucial for tight junction integrity. CXADR also takes part in transepithelial relocation of leukocytes through adhesive interactions with AMICA1/JAML a transmembrane protein of the plasma membrane of leukocytes. A number of transcript variants encoding different isoforms were identified for this gene. Pseudogenes of this gene were located on chromosomes 15, 18, and 21.

OLR1 is a type II membrane protein which belongs to the C-type lectin family and performs as a cell-surface receptor for Ox-LDL. Ox-LDL has a part in early ather-osclerosis, which includes the transformation of monocyte-derived macro-phages to foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions. In addition, OLR1 protein triggers the activation of the NF?B signal transduction pathway.

TCL1A (T-cell leukemia/lymphoma 1A) is a protein with a possible role in intracellular regulation of T cell signaling. TCL1A enhances cell proliferation, stabilizes mitochondrial membrane potential and promotes cell survival. TCL1A is restricted in the T-cell lineage to immature thymocytes and activated peripheral lymphocytes. TCL1A is preferentially expressed early in T and B-lymphocyte differentiation. Chromosomal anomalies activating TCL1A are found in chronic T-cell leukemias (T-CLL).
TCL1A enhances the phosphorylation and activation of AKT1, AKT2 and AKT3. TCL1A promotes nuclear translocation of AKT1. TCL1A binds to the pleckstrin homology domain of Akt (protein kinase B) family proteins, which facilitates Akt dimerization and activity. By increasing Akt activity, TCL1A can enhance the serine/threonine phosphorylation of major Akt signaling substrates, for example Ikk complex, mTOR, BAD, p70S6 kinase, FOXO transcription factors and GSK3b. These substrates regulate cellular differentiation, growth, survival, and metabolism.

Cofilin is a family of actin-binding proteins which disassembles actin filaments. It is a widely distributed intracellular actin-modulating protein that binds and depolymerizes filamentous F-actin and inhibits the polymerization of monomeric G-actin in a pH-dependent manner. It is involved in the translocation of actin-cofilin complex from cytoplasm to nucleus.