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Von Willebrand Factor A Domain Containing 2 (VWA2) is an extracellular matrix protein containing vWA-like domains. VWA2 contains a signal peptide sequence, an N-terminal VWA domain connected to 2 additional tandem vWA domains by a cysteine-rich sequence and an EGF-like domain. Also, another EGF-like domain is located at the C-terminus. Expression of VWA2 is induced in stage II, III and IV colon cancers and colon adenomas and is considered a novel serum marker for the diagnosis of early-stage colon cancer.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF R) subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases comprises four members: EGF R (also known as HER1, ErbB1 or ErbB), ErbB2 (Neu, HER-2), ErbB3 (HER-3), and ErbB4 (HER-4). All family members are type I transmembrane glycoprotein that has an extracellular domain which contains two cysteine-rich domains separated by a spacer region that is involved in ligand-binding, and a cytoplasmic domain which has a membrane-proximal tyrosine kinase domain and a C-terminal tail with multiple tyrosine autophosphorylation sites. The human EGF R gene encodes a 1210 amino acid (aa) residue precursor with a 24 aa putative signal peptide, a 621 aa extracellular domain, a 23 aa transmembrane domain, and a 542 aa cytoplasmic domain. EGF R has been shown to bind a subset of the EGF family ligands, including EGF, amphiregulin, TGF-a , betacellulin, epiregulin, heparin-binding EGF and neuregulin-2 in the absence of a co-receptor. Ligand binding induces EGF R homodimerization as well as heterdimerization with ErbB2, resulting in kinase activation, tyrosine phosphorylation and cell signaling. EGF R can also be recruited to form heterodimers with the ligand-activated ErbB3 or ErbB4. EGF R signaling has been shown to regulate multiple biological functions including cell proliferation, differentiation, motility and apoptosis. In addition, EGF R signaling has also been shown to play a role in carcinogenesis.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3 (CDKN3) is a member of the dual specificity protein phosphatase family. CDKN3 was identified as a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, and was shown to interact with, and dephosphorylate CDK2 kinase, consequently prevent the activation of CDK2 kinase. In addition CDKN3 is important in cell cycle regulation. The CDKN3 gene was reported to be deleted, mutated, or overexpressed in several kinds of cancers.

Retinoic Acid Receptor Responder 1 (RARRES1) is a part of the TIGs family. TIGs operate like tumor suppressor genes in human cancers and are greatly expressed in skin, hair follicles and endothelial cells plus in pancreas, spleen and intestine. TIGs are growth regulators which mediate the growth suppressive effects of retinoids.

STUB1, is a cytoplasmic protein whose amino acid sequence is highly preserved across species. STUB1 interacts with the molecular chaperones Hsc70-Hsp70 and Hsp90 through its TPR domain, whereas its U-box domain contains its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. STUB1 interaction with these molecular chaperones lead to in client substrate ubiquitylation and degradation by the proteasome. therefore, STUB1 acts to tilt the folding-refolding mechanism towards the degradative pathway, and it serves as a link between the two. STUB1 inhibits anchorage-independent cell growth and metastatic potential by degrading oncogenic proteins including SRC-3. Inhibition of tyrosine kinase activity of Her-2/neu by quercetin specifies an lateration in the Her-2/neu structure which promotes STUB1 recruitments and down-regulation of Her-2/neu. STUB1 recognizes and mediates degradation of toxic, oligomeric forms of alphaSyn.

Insulin decreases blood glucose concentration. it increases cell permeability to monosaccharides, amino acids and fatty acids. it accelerates glycolysis, the pentose phosphate cycle, and glycogen synthesis in liver.

The HbA1c shows the average amount of glucose in the blood over a period of 3 months. Sugar in the bloodstream can become attached to the hemoglobin in red blood cells (glycosylation). Once the sugar is attached, it stays there for the life of the red blood cell, which is about 120 days. The higher the level of blood sugar, the more sugar attaches to red blood cells. The HbA1c is formed in a non-enzymatic pathway by hemoglobin's standard exposure to elevated plasma levels of glucose. HbA1c is tested to monitor nephropathy and retinopathy in diabetes mellitus.

S100A11 is a member of the S100 family of proteins which contains two EF-hand calcium-binding motifs and is thought to be involved in the regulation of a number of cellular processes including cell cycle progression and differentiation. S100A11 may function in motility, invasion and tubulin polymerisation. S100 proteins are localized either in the cytoplasm or the nucleus of a wide range of cells. There are at least 13 members in the S100 gene family, which are located as a cluster on chromosome 1q21. Chromosomal rearrangements and altered expression of S100A11 have been implicated in tumor metastasis.

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.

Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 1 (CCL1) is a small glycoprotein secreted by activated T cells that belongs to a family inflammatory cytokines known as chemokines. CCL1 attracts monocytes, NK cells, and immature B cells and dendritic cells by interacting with a cell surface chemokine receptor called CCR8. This chemokine resides in a large cluster of CC chemokines on human chromosome 17.

BAALC gene is found in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and is conserved among mammals and is not found in lower organisms. Tissues which express BAALC develop from the neuroectoderm. BAALC is located both in the membrane and in the cytoplasma, it exists as multiple alternatively spliced isoform. BAALC is expressed by hematopoetic and neural cells, BAALC interacts with CaMKII? and is involved in synaptic function at postsynaptic lipid rafts. Overexpression of BAALC concomitant forecast adverse clinical outcome and defines a significant risk factor in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

SPRY domain-containing SOCS box protein 1 (SPSB1) belongs to the SOCS box protein subfamily. SPSB1 includes a central SPRY domain and a C-terminal SOCS box. Even though, some of the SOCS protein subfamilies function as adaptors for a large family of ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligases to regulate certain signaling pathways, the function of the SSB subfamily remains to be determined. SPSB1 may have an imperative role in enhancing the HGF-induced Erk-Elk-1-SRE pathway. SPSB1 overexpression exhibited no effect on the basal level or epidermal growth factor-induced SRE-luciferase activity.

FAM3C is a member of the FAM3 family and holds a GG domain. Pancreatic cancer-derived cells demonstrate a difference in expression of this protein. FAM3C is a downstream target gene for the Nkx5-1 transcription factor, and there for takes part in cell differentiation and proliferation through inner ear embryogenesis. In addition, FAM3C has a role in retinal laminar formation and promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

TARC cDNA encodes a 94 amino acid precursor protein with a 23 amino acid residue signal peptide that is cleaved off to generate the 71 amino acid residue mature secreted protein. Along with CC chemokine family members, CCL-17 has approximately 24-29% amino acid sequence identity with RANTES, MIP-1a, MIP-1b, MCP-1, MCP-2, MCP-3 and I-309. TARC is expressed in thymus, and at a lower level in the lung, colon, and small intestine. TARC is in addition transiently expressed in stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Recombinant TARC has been shown to be chemotactic for T cell lines but not monocytes or neutrophils. CCL-17 was recently identified to be a specific functional ligand for CCR4, a receptor that is selectively expressed on T cells. CCL17 is one of quite a few Cys-Cys (CC) cytokine genes clustered on the q arm of chromosome 16. CCL17 shows chemotactic activity for T lymphocytes, but not monocytes or granulocytes. CCL17 binds to chemokine receptors CCR4 and CCR8. This chemokine plays important roles in T cell development in thymus as well as in trafficking and activation of mature T cells.

TSLP protein is a hemopoietic cytokine which signals throughout a heterodimeric receptor complex composed of the thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor & the Interleukin-7 receptor alpha chain. TSLP impacts myeloid cells thus induces the discharge of T cell-attracting chemokines from monocytes & increases the growth of CD11c(+) dendritic cells. TSLP is mainly expressed in the heart, liver and prostate. TSLP is related in its biological activities with IL-7 and binds with the heterodimeric receptor complex consisting of the Interleukin-7 receptor alpha chain & the TSLPR. Similar to IL-7, TSLP enhances phosphorylation of STAT3 and STAT5, though uses kinases excluding JAKs for its activation. TSLP induces the release of T cell-attracting chemokines such asTARC & MDC from monocytes & triggers CD11c(+) dendritic cells. TSLP activated dendritic cells primes naive T cells to manufacture pro-allergic cytokines such as Iinterleukin-4, Interleukin-5, Interleukin-13 and TNF-alpha whereas down-regulating Interleukin-10 and IFN-gamma play a role in the initiation of allergic inflammation.

Leukemia inhibitory factor, is a pleiotropic cytokine which is expressed by numerous cells including activated T lymphocytes, monocytes, mast cells and neuronal cells. LIF takes part in the induction of hematopoietic differentiation in normal and myeloid leukemia cells, induction of neuronal cell differentiation, regulator of mesenchymal to epithelial conversion during kidney development, and is a key player in immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface.

Granulocyte/Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factors are cytokines that act in hematopoiesis by controlling the production, differentiation, and function of 2 related white cell populations of the blood, the granulocytes and the monocytes-macrophages. MCSF induces cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. MCSF plays a role in immunological defenses, bone metabolism, lipoproteins clearance, fertility and pregnancy.

GM-CSF Receptor Beta, also known as CSF2RB is a member of the type I cytokine receptor family. CSF2RB is a high affinity receptor for interleukin-3, interleukin-5 as well as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. CSF2RB unique form of receptor assembly applies also to IL-3 and IL-5 receptors, providing a structural basis for understanding their activation mechanism which is essential for the development of therapeutics.

Excess adiposity is the most important risk in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Adipose tissue produces several proteins (adipocytokines) such as leptin, adiponectin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-a, and IL-6, that modulate sensitivity and appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis, diabetes, dyslipidemia, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. 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 has been postulated to play a role in innate immunity.
Visfatin exerts mimetic effects that are dose-dependent and quantitatively similar to stimulating muscle and adipocyte glucose transport, and in inhibiting hepatocyte glucose production. Intravenous injection of recombinant visfatin in mice decreased plasma glucose in a dose-dependent fashion. In keeping with its mimetic effects, visfatin was as effective in reducing hyperglycemia in deficient diabetic mice. Visfatin was also found to be bound to and activate receptor, causing receptor phosphorylation and the activation of downstream signaling molecules. However, visfatin did not compete for binding to the receptor, indicating that the two proteins were recognized by different regions of the receptor. Thus, visfatin might play a role in glucose homeostasis and dysregulation in biosynthesis or signal transduction, and might contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes.

FtsJ RNA Methyltransferase Homolog 2 (FTSJ2) belongs to the S-adenosylmethionine-binding protein family. FTSJ2 is a nucleolar protein and which is involved in cell cycle control and DNA repair and the processing and modification of rRNA. FTSJ2 is extensively expressed, with the highest expression in the muscle, placenta, and heart.

S100P was originally described as a placental protein of 95 amino acid residues shares about 50% sequence identity with the brain S100 proteins alpha and beta.
S100 proteins are small dimeric members of the EF-hand superfamily of Ca(2+) binding proteins thought to participate in mediating intracellular Ca(2+) signals by binding to and thereby regulating target proteins in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. S100P in addition to binding Ca2+, also binds Zn2+ and Mg2+. S100P gene is located on chromosome 4p16.
S100P is dysregulated in the androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP-R, DU145, and PC3 and may play a role in the etiology of prostate cancer.
In ductal hyperplasias, in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma, but not in the normal tissues, S100P overexpression is an early event that might play an important role in the immortalization of human breast epithelial cells in vitro and tumor progression in vivo.
In NIH3T3 cells, the expression of S100P led to the presence of S100P in the culture medium, increased cellular proliferation, and enhanced survival following detachment from the culture substrate or after exposure to the chemotherapeutic agent 5-flurouracil. The proliferation and survival effects of S100P expression were duplicated in a time- and concentration-dependent manner by extracellular addition of purified S100P to wild-type NIH3T3 cells and correlated with the activation of Erks and NFB.
To determine the mechanisms involved in these effects, we tested the hypothesis that S100P activated RAGE (Receptor for Activated Glycation End-Products). It was found that S100P coimmunoprecipitated with RAGE. Furthermore, the effects of S100P on cell signaling, proliferation and survival were blocked by agents that interfere with RAGE including administration of an amphoterin derived peptide known to antagonize RAGE activation, anti-RAGE antibodies and by expression of a dominant negative RAGE. These data suggest that S100P can act in an autocrine manner via RAGE to stimulate cell proliferation and survival.

S100P is a Ca2+ binding protein that is part of the S100 family of proteins containing 2 EF-hand calcium-binding motifs. S100 proteins are found in the cytoplasm and/or nucleus of a large range of cells, and participates in the regulation of a number of cellular function such as cell cycle progression and differentiation. S100P participates in numerous biological functions but the exact functions or mechanism of its action is still mostly unknown. Once S100P binds calcium ions it goes through a conformational change that results in an exposure of a hydrophobic surface which permits the interaction with specific target proteins.