Search results

Retinol Binding Protein-2 (RBP2) which is present in the small intestinal epithelium takes part in the uptake and intracellular metabolism of vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for growth, reproduction, differentiation of epithelial tissues, and vision. RBP2 moderates the supply of retinoic acid to the nuclei of endometrial cells throughout the menstrual cycle.

Glycoprotein hormones are heterodimers consisting of a common alpha subunit and a unique beta subunit which confers biological specificity. CGB is a member of the glycoprotein hormone beta chain family and is the beta 3 subunit of (CG). CG is produced by the trophoblastic cells of the placenta and stimulates the ovaries. The beta subunit of CG is encoded by 6 genes which are arranged in tandem and inverted pairs on chromosome 19q13.3 and contiguous with the luteinizing hormone beta subunit gene.

GCSF is a cytokine that controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes. The active protein is found extracellularly. Three transcript variants encoding three different isoforms have been found for this gene.
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. This csf induces granulocytes.

MNDA plays a role as a transcriptional activator/repressor in the myeloid lineage and in the granulocyte/monocyte cell-specific response. MNDA Stimulates the DNA binding of the transcriptional repressor protein YY1. MNDA is identified only in nuclei of cells of the granulocyte-monocyte lineage.

Sclerostin (SOST) is a secreted glycoprotein with a C-terminal cysteine knot-like (CTCK) domain and sequence similarity to the DAN (differential screening-selected gene aberrative in neuroblastoma) family of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists. Sclerostin functions as a negative regulator of bone growth, by inhibiting bone formation. SOST is widely expressed at low levels, with highest levels in the bone, cartilage, kidney, liver, bone marrow and primary osteoblasts differentiated for 21 days. SOST gene defects cause sclerosteosis and bone dysplasia.

STX17 is a member of to the syntaxin family and contains 1 t-SNARE coiled-coil homology domain. STX17 is involved in vesicle trafficking to lysosomes and takes part in procedures associated with cell division.

Follistatin is a single-chain gonadal protein that specifically inhibits follicle-stimulating hormone release. The single FST gene encodes two isoforms, FST317 and FST344 containing 317 and 344 amino acids respectively, resulting from alternative splicing of the precursor mRNA. In a study in which 37 candidate genes were tested for linkage and association with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or hyperandrogenemia in 150 families, evidence was found for linkage between PCOS and follistatin. Follistatin binds directly to activin and functions as an activin antagonist. specific inhibitor of the biosynthesis and secretion of pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (fsh).

Procalcitonin is a peptide hormone mainly produced by the C cells of the thyroid and certain endocrine cells of the lung. Under normal expression conditions, procalcitonin is immediately cleaved into three specific fragments, an N terminal residue, calcitonin and katacalcin. Levels of unprocessed procalcitonin rise significantly after bacterial infection, trauma or shock.

COMMD1 is accountable for inhibition of TNF-induced NFκB p50 and n facilitats of biliary copper excretion within hepatocytes. High expression of COMMD1 is localized in liver tissue, with lower expressions in lung, heart, kidney and brain tissue. COMMD1 interacts directly with COMMD6 and ATP7B, and indirectly with IκB-β and COMMD7.

Vitronectin (VTN) which is a part of the pexin family is a cell adhesion and spreading factor found in serum and tissues. VTN interacts with glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans. VTN inhibits the membrane-damaging effect of the terminal cytolytic complement pathway and binds to numerous serpin serine protease inhibitors. Scientists have been noticed an over expression of VTN, integrins and plasminogen in migrating cells during wound healing.

Insulin-like Growth Factor-Binding Protein 7 (IGFBP7) is a member of the IGFBP family. IGFBP family members are all cysteine rich proteins with conserved cysteine and have an IGFBP domain, a Kazal-like domain and an Ig-like C2-type domain. IGFBP7 is expressed in a broad range of normal human tissues and it mostly shows reduced expression in cancer cell lines of prostate, breast, colon, and lung origin. IGFBP7 has a role in skeletal myogenesis by binding to IGF in a manner which inhibits IGF induced differentiation of skeletal myoblasts, without disturbing IGF induced proliferation. Moreover, IGFBP7 suppresses growth and colony formation of prostate and breast cancer cell lines via an IGF independent mechanism, which triggers a delay in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and increased apoptosis.

PBX/Knotted 1 Homeobox 1 (PKNOX1) is a DNA-binding factor which takes part in the regulation of the transcriptional activity of AP-1 containing promoters. PKNOX1, which is also known as UEF3, PRP-1 and p64, is a Hmeobox protein. PKNOX1 forms stable complexes containing PBX proteins which synergize with AP-1 binding factors.

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

Mannose-binding protein C (MBL2), belongs to the collectin family of patternrecognition molecules and is an important component in the innate immune system. MBL2 is a secreted glycoprotein which recognizes mannose and N-acetylglucosamine on various microorganisms, and is capable of activating the classical complement pathway. Lacking MBL2 has been associated with susceptibility to autoimmune and infectious diseases.

Protein A is a cell wall component produced by several strains of Staphylococcus aureus. The recombinant Protein A is genetically engineered protein and holds 5 IgG-binding regions of protein A. Recombinant Protein A functions basically the same as native Protein A and is perfect for purification of polyclonal or monoclonal IgG antibodies. Protein A binds to human IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4, mouse IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 and rat IgG2c. Protein A also binds to total IgG from rabbit, pig, dog, cat, and guinea pig.

MHC Class I is a membrane spanning molecule consisting of 2 proteins. MHC Class I is just about 350 amino acids in length, with roughly 75 amino acids at the carboxylic end comprising the transmembrane and cytoplasmic portions. The remaining 270 amino acids, are divided into three globular domains labeled Alpha-1, Alpha-2 and Alpha-3 prime, with Alpha-1 being closest to the amino terminus and Alpha-3 closest to the membrane. The second portion of the molecule is a small globular protein called Beta-2 Microglobulin. It links primarily with the Alpha-3 prime domain and is essential for MHC stability.
The MHC ability to show a vast range of antigenic peptides for T cell recognition needs a compromise between broad specificity and high affinity. Both MHC class I and MHC class II show an exceptional structure while the peptide main chain is tightly bound and peptide side chains show less restrictive interactions. It is primarily the peptide side-chain contacts and conformational variability that ensures that the peptide-MHC complex presents an antigenically unique surface to T cell receptors.

Alpha crystallins are composed of two gene products ; alpha-A and alpha-B, for acidic and basic, respectively. Alpha crystallins can be induced by heat shock and are members of the small heat shock protein (sHSP also known as the HSP20). They act as molecular chaperones and hold them in in large soluble aggregates. These heterogeneous aggregates consist of 30-40 subunits; the alpha-A and alpha-B subunits have a 3:1 ratio, respectively. Two additional function of a-crystallins are an autokinase activity and participation in the intracellular architecture. Alpha-B is expressed widely in many tissues and organs and occurs in many neurological diseases.

E-selectin (SELE) is a part of a family of divalent cation-dependent carbohydrate-binding glycoproteins or adhesion molecules. E-selectin is expressed on the surface of endothelial cells and mediates the interaction of leukocytes and platelets with endothelial cells during an inflammatory response. E-selectin is present in single copy in the human genome and contains 14 exons spanning about 13 kb of DNA.

SERPINB5 (Maspin) is a tumor suppressor protein of the serine proteinase inhibitor family. Maspin plays a vital role in embryonic development through critical functions in cell adhesion. In addition, Maspin is present in normal breast and prostatic epithelial cells although down regulated in the particular carcinomas. SERPINB5 impedes the growth, invasion, and metastatic properties of mammary tumors as well as the invasive ability of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. SERPINB5 being a breast tumor suppressor gene is a significant marker of the disease progression in breast neoplasms. Furthermore, high expression of maspin is linked to squamous cell carcinoma in non-small-cell lung cancer. Moreover, maspin expression has been directly linked with the biological aggressiveness of ovarian carcinoma. Maspin exhibits no serine protease inhibitory activity since it does not undergo the stressed to relaxed conformational transition typical of active serpins.

a-Synuclein (amino acids 1-140), an acidic neuronal protein of 140 amino acids, is extremely heat-resistant and is natively unfolded with an extended structure primarily composed of random coils. a-synuclein has been suggested to be implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders, and more recently, to be an important regulatory component of vesicular transport in neuronal cells. Moreover, recent studies have shown that a-synuclein has chaperone activity and that this activity is lost upon removing its C-terminal acidic tail (amino acids 96-140).

ENSA is an endogenous ligand for sulfonylurea receptor. ENSA reduces K(ATP) channel currents by inhibiting sulfonylurea from binding to the receptor and thus stimulates insulin secretion. Endosulfine Alpha is part of a conserved cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (ARPP) family. Endosulfine Alpha is an endogenous ligand for the sulfonylurea receptor, ABCC8/SUR1. Endosulfine Alpha is an endogenous regulator of KATP channels. ENSA modulates insulin secretion through the interaction with KATP channel. ENSA is a candidate gene for type 2 diabetes. ENSA is expressed in a wide range of tissues including muscle, brain, and endocrine tissues.

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.