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Adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL) is an enzyme which converts adenylosuccinate to AMP and fumarate as part of the purine nucleotide cycle. ADSL is involved in both de novo synthesis of purines and formation of adenosine monophosphate from inosine monophosphate. ADSL catalyzes 2 reactions in AMP biosynthesis: the removal of a fumarate from succinylaminoimidazole carboxamide (SAICA) ribotide to yield aminoimidazole carboxamide ribotide (AICA) and removal of fumarate from adenylosuccinate to yield AMP. Defects in the ADSL are the cause of adenylosuccinase deficiency (ADSL deficiency). ADSL deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder distinguished by the accumulation in the body fluids of succinylaminoimidazole-carboxamide riboside (SAICA-riboside) and succinyladenosine (S-Ado). Adenylosuccinase deficiency results in succinylpurinemic autism, psychomotor retardation, and in some cases, growth retardation associated with muscle wasting and epilepsy.

GMCSF is a cytokine that controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes and macrophages. The active form of the protein is found extracellularly as a homodimer. This gene has been localized to a cluster of related genes at chromosome region 5q31, which is known to be associated with interstitial deletions in the 5q- syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia. Other genes in the cluster include those encoding interleukins 4, 5, and 13.
GM-CSF stimulates the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic precursor cells from various lineages, including granulocytes, macrophages, eosinophils and erythrocytes.

Apolipoprotein-D is mainly associated with high density lipoproteins in human plasma. Apolipoprotein-D is an atypical apolipoprotein and, based on its primary structure, Apolipoprotein-D is a member of the lipocalin family. Lipocalins adopt a beta-barrel tertiary structure and transport small hydrophobic ligands. Apolipoprotein-D binds cholesterol, progesterone, pregnenolone, bilirubin and arachidonic acid.
Apolipoprotein-D is expressed in numerous tissues having high levels of expression in spleen, testes and brain. Apolipoprotein-D is present at high concentrations in the cyst fluid of women with gross cystic disease of the breast, a condition associated with increased risk of breast cancer. Apolipoprotein-D accumulates in regenerating peripheral nerves and in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease. Apolipoprotein-D participates in maintenance and repair within the central and peripheral nervous systems. Apolipoprotein-D is a multi-ligand, multi-functional transporter and transports a ligand from 1 cell to another within an organ, scavenge a ligand within an organ for transport to the blood or could transport a ligand from the circulation to specific cells within a tissue.

BID accession number NP_001187 is a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein having only the BH3 domain. In reaction to apoptotic signaling, BID interacts with another Bcl-2 family of cell death regulators, called Bax, they form a heterodimer resulting to the insertion of Bax into the outer mitochondrial membrane. Bax induces the opening of the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel which lead to the release of cytochrome c and other pro-apoptotic factors from the mitochondria resulting in activation of caspases. BID is a mediator of mitochondrial damage induced by caspase-8 (CASP8). CASP8 cleaves BID, and the COOH-terminal part translocates to mitochondria where it triggers cytochrome c release. The major proteolytic product p15 BID releasea cytochrome c. Isoform 1, Isoform 2 and Isoform 4 induce ice-like proteases and apoptosis while Isoform 3 does not induce apoptosis.

GDF-5 is a member of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family and the TGF-beta superfamily. This group of proteins is characterized by a polybasic proteolytic processing site which is cleaved to produce a mature protein containing seven conserved cysteine residues. The members of this family are regulators of cell growth and differentiation in both embryonic and adult tissues. Mutations in this gene are associated with acromesomelic dysplasia, Hunter-Thompson type; brachydactyly, type C; and chondrodysplasia, Grebe type. These associations confirm that the gene product plays a role in skeletal development.

Hexokinases phosphorylate glucose to produce glucose-6-phosphate, thus committing glucose to the glycolytic pathway. HK3 encodes hexokinase 3. Similar to hexokinases 1 and 2, this allosteric enzyme is inhibited by its product glucose-6-phosphate. Hexokinase3 lacks the hydrophobic N-terminal sequence critical for targeting to mitochondria. Hexpkinase3 may have anabolic functions, providing H6P for glycogen or lipid synthesis.

TNFRSF4, also known as TNF Receptor Superfamily Member 4, is a T cell co-stimulatory molecule which belongs to the TNF receptor superfamily. TNFRSF4 coordinates with other co-stimulatory substances such as CD28, CD40, CD30, CD27 and 4-1BB to control the activation of the immune response. TNFRSF4 takes a vital part in antigen-specific T cell expansion as well as survival. TNFRSF4 is up-regulated on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells upon engagement of the TCR by antigen presenting cells along with co-stimulation by CD40-CD40 Ligand and CD28-B7. In addition, TNFRSF4 regulates cytokine production from T cells, antigen presenting cells, natural killer cells and natural killer cells. TNFRSF4 regulates cytokine receptor signaling.

Energy Homeostasis Associated (ENHO) participates in glucose homeostasis maintenance and lipid metabolism. ENHO is expressed in the liver and the brain. The role of ENHO in obesity or diabetes is studied.

OAZ1 is a member of the ODC antizyme family. OAZ1 is auto-regulated expressed by polyamine-enhanced translational frame shifting. OAZ1 negatively controls polyamine synthesis by increasing the negative feedback loop regulating ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. The OAZ1 protein inhibits ornithine decarboxylase and speeds up its detraction.

ASB13 belongs to the ankyrin repeat and SOCS box-containing (ASB) family of proteins which contains ankyrin repeat sequence and a SOCS box domain. ASB13 is a protein coding gene that plays a role as a substrate-recognition part of a SCF-like ECS E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase complex which arbitrates the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of target proteins.

The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a family of secreted signaling molecules that can induce ectopic bone growth. Many BMPs are part of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFB) superfamily. BMPs were originally identified by an ability of demineralized bone extract to induce endochondral osteogenesis in vivo in an extraskeletal site. Based on its expression early in embryogenesis, the BMP encoded by this gene has a proposed role in early development. In addition, the fact that this BMP is closely related to BMP5 and BMP7 has lead to speculation of possible bone inductive activity.

Interferon Alpha And Beta Receptor or IFNAR1, is part of the class II cytokine receptor family. IFNAR1 forms one of the two chains of a receptor for interferons alpha and beta. IFNAR1 binds and activates the receptor that stimulates Janus protein kinases, which then phosphorylate few proteins, including STAT1 & STAT2. Furthermore, IFNAR1 also acts as an antiviral factor.

Autophagy Related 3 (ATG3) is a conjugating enzyme essential for the cytoplasm to vacuole transport (Cvt), autophagy, and mitochondrial homeostasis. ATG3 is localizes to the cytoplasm and is expressed in tissues with predominant levels found in kidney, placenta, liver, heart and skeletal muscle. ATG3 catalyzes a reaction which is necessary for autophagy. That reaction is the formation of the Atg8-phosphatidylethanolamine (ATG-PE) conjugate.

RAET1E is a member of the MHC class I family. MHC class I family contains main histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related genes positioned in a cluster on chromosome 6q24.2-q25.3. RAET1E and RAET1G protein are different from other RAET1 proteins since they have type I membrane-spanning sequences at their C termini instead glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor sequences.RAET1E acts as a ligand for NKG2D receptor, expressed on the surface of numerous types of immune cells, involves in innate adaptive immune reactions.RAET1E delivers signals to NK cells and advances tumor immune surveillance by inducing the growth of anti-tumor cytotoxic lymphocyte.

Stromal Cell-Derived Factor 2 (SDF2) is a secretory protein which is partly similar to the hydrophilic segments of yeast mannosyltransferases. SDF2 protein’s expression is ubiquitous and the gene is rather conserved among mammals. SDF2is a protein-coding gene whose alternative splicing results in coding and non-coding variants.

B2M is a part of the MHC class I family that participates in the presentation of peptide antigens to the immune system. B2M is localized on the surface of numerous cells and abundant on the surface of white blood cells. High production or destruction of these cells causes B2M levels in the blood to raise. This increase is observed in people with cancers involving white blood cells, but it is mainly significant in people newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma. B2M Testing is done primarily when evaluating a person for certain kinds of cancer affecting white blood cells including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma or kidney disease.

BMP2 belongs to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFB) superfamily. Bone morphogenic protein induces bone formation. BMP2 is a candidate gene for the autosomal dominant disease of fibrodysplasia (myositis) ossificans progressiva.

Complement Factor D (Adipsin), which belongs to the trypsin family of peptidases, is involved in the alternative complement pathway of the complement system where it cleaves factor B. In the alternative complement pathway, Adipsin is best known for its role in humoral suppression of infectious agents. In addition, Adipsin is a serine protease which is secreted by adipocytes into the bloodstream. Ultimately, Adipsin has a high level of expression in fat, proposing a role for adipose tissue in immune system biology.

NFKBID belongs to the IkB family of proteins which contains four groups (IkB-alpha, IkB-beta, IkB-gamma, IkB-epsilon). NFKBID takes part in regulating inflammatory responses and cytokine, IL-2 and IL-6 expression through NFkB activity. NFKBID has 3 known alternative spliced isoforms, and is associated with RelB, NF?B p50 and NFkB p65 in nucleus. NFKBID is involeved in thymocyte selection in response to TCR induction.

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 modules: Module 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.

C1QTNF2 can be found in many different organism parts such as the testis, cervix. C1QTNF2 is located in the extracellular space and has various roles such as activation of MAPK activity, positive regulation of fatty acid oxidation, positive regulation of glycogen biosynthetic process, and positive regulation of glucose import.

Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), are a family of cell surface glycoproteins found on Natural Killer (NK) Cells, which are important cells of the immune system. They control the killing function of these cells by interacting with MHC class I molecules, which are expressed on all cell types. This interaction allows them to identify virally infected cells or tumor cells that have a distinctive low level of Class I MHC on their surface. The majority of KIRs are inhibitory, which means that their recognition of MHC suppresses the cytotoxic activity of their NK cell. Only a limited number of KIRs have the capacity to activate cells.
The KIR genes are found in a cluster on chromosome 19q13.4 within the 1 Mb leukocyte receptor complex (LRC). KIR molecules are extremely polymorphic, meaning their gene sequences differ significantly between individuals, so that different individuals have different arrays/repertoires of KIR genes.
The KIR proteins are categorized by the number of extracellular immunoglobulin domains (2D or 3D) and by whether they have a long (L) or short (S) cytoplasmic domain. KIR proteins with the long cytoplasmic domain transduce inhibitory signals upon ligand binding via an immune tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM). Whereas KIR proteins with the short cytoplasmic domain lack the ITIM motif and instead associate with the TYRO protein tyrosine kinase binding protein to transduce activating signals.
KIR2DL1 is an inhibitory Killer Cell Ig-like Receptor (KIR, previously called p58 KIR, p58.1, cl-42, NKAT1, or KIR-K6), which recognizes class I MHC molecules (HLA-Cw2, -Cw4, -Cw5, and Cw6). The extracellular domain of KIR2DL1 was over expressed as insoluble protein aggregates (inclusion bodies).

sRANK Receptor is a part of of the TNF superfamily of ligands and receptors which participates in the regulation of specific immunity and bone turnover. sRANK Receptor was originally acknowledged as a dendritic-cell-membrane protein, which by interacting with RANKL augments the capacity of dendritic cells to stimulate naive T cell proliferation and to endorse the survival of RANK and T cells. The full length human RANK cDNA encodes a type I transmembrane protein of 616 amino acids with a predicted 183 amino acid extracellular domain and a 383 amino acid cytoplasmic domain. sRANK Receptor is also expressed in a various tissues including skeletal muscle, thymus, liver, colon, small intestine and adrenal gland.