Search results

Clusterin also named Apolipoprotein J (APO-J) is a 75-80 kD disulfide-linked heterodimeric protein containing about 30% of N-linked carbohydrate rich in sialic acid but truncated forms targeted to the nucleus have also been identified.
The precursor polypeptide chain is cleaved proteolytically to remove the 22-mer secretory signal peptide and subsequently between residues 227/228 to generate the a and b chains. These are assembled in anti-parallel to give a heterodimeric molecule in which the cysteine-rich centers are linked by five disulfide bridges and are flanked by two predicted coiled-coil a-helices and three predicted amphipathic a-helices.
Across a broad range of species clusterin shows a high degree of sequence homology ranging from 70% to 80%. It is nearly ubiquitously expressed in most mammalian tissues and can be found in plasma, milk, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and semen.
It is able to bind and form complexes with numerous partners such as immunoglobulins, lipids, heparin, bacteria, complement components, paraoxonase, beta amyloid, leptin and others. Clusterin has been ascribed a plethora of functions such as phagocyte recruitment, aggregation induction, complement attack prevention, apoptosis inhibition, membrane remodeling, lipid transport, hormone transport and/or scavenging, matrix metalloproteinase inhibition.
A genuine function of clusterin has not been defined. One tempting hypothesis says that clusterin is an extracellular chaperone protecting cells from stress induced insults caused by degraded and misfolded protein precipitates.
Clusterin is up- or down regulated on the mRNA or protein level in many pathological and clinically relevant situations including cancer, organ regeneration, infection, Alzheimer disease, retinitis pigmentosa, myocardial infarction, renal tubular damage, autoimmunity and others.

LGLAS9 binds galactosides and has high affinity for the Forssman pentasaccharide. LGLAS9 participates in thymocyte-epithelial interactions relevant to the biology of the thymus and Inhibits cell proliferation. LGLAS9 is a ligand for HAVCR2/TIM3. LGLAS9 Induces T-helper type 1 lymphocyte (Th1) death. LGLAS9 performs as an eosinophil chemoattractant LGLAS9 is an S-type lectin which is over-expressed in Hodgkin's disease tissue and takes part in the interaction between the H&RS cells with their surrounding cells.

Gankyrin (proteasome 26S subunit) is a multicatalytic proteinase oncoprotein commonly overexpressed in most hepatocellular carcinomas. Proteasomes are found throughout eukaryotic cells at a high concentrations and cleave peptides in an ATP/ubiquitin-dependent process in a non-lysosomal pathway. Gankyrin interacts with S6 ATPase of the 19S regulatory particle of the 26S proteasome. Gankyrin is involved in theregulation of the phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein by CDK4, and to enhance the ubiquitinylation of p53 by MDM2. Gankyrin consists of 7 ankyrin repeats and is structurally similar to I kappa Bs. Gankyrin acts as a regulatory subunit of the 26s proteasome which is involved in the atp-dependent degradation of ubiquitinated proteins. Gankyrin is involved in progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. gankyrin plays an oncogenic role especially in early stages of human epatocarcinogenesis. Gankyrin binds to NF-kappaB and suppresses its activity at the transcription level by modulating acetylation through SIRT1. Structural comparison between Gankyrin & p16(INK4A) identified numerous residues of gankyrin that are potentially important for CDK4 binding.

Progastricsin-C (PGC) is an aspartic proteinase which is synthesized in the gastric mucosa as inactive precursors. PGC is a part of the peptidase family A1 and contains a prosegment which is responsible for stabilizing the inactive form and preventing the entrance of the substrate to the active site. PGC is used as a biomarker for various gastric diseases including Helicobacter pylori related gastritis. PGC is also hydrolyzes various proteins.

Human Secretin stimulates the secretion of bicarbonate by the pancreas and inhibits the production of gastrin and acid production in the stomach. It also potentiates the release of digestive enzymes from the pancreas triggered by cholecystokinin.

Eledoisin is an undecapeptide formed in the venom gland of several species of octopuses and is used as a vasodilator and a contraction agent of extravascular smooth muscle.

PFDN6 is a subunit of the heteromeric prefoldin complex that chaperones developing actin and alpha- and beta-tubulin chains until they are transferred to the cytosolic chaperonin containing TCP1 (CCT) complex. PFDN6 binds specifically to cytosolic chaperonin (c-CPN), transfers target proteins to it and bind to developing polypeptide chain to promote folding in a setting where there are many competing pathways for nonnative proteins.

GDP Dissociation Inhibitor 1 (GDI1) is expressed mainly in neural and sensory tissues. GDI1 regulates the GDP/GTP exchange reaction of nearly all Rab proteins by inhibiting the dissociation of GDP from them, and the subsequent binding of GTP to them. GDI1 is also promoting the dissociation of GDP-bound Rab proteins from the membrane and inhibits their activation. Mutations in GDI1 have been associated with X-linked nonspecific mental retardation.

Legumain, also known as LGMN is a lysosomal cysteine protease which is found in all mouse tissues, however it was mainly abundant in the kidney as well as placenta. LGMN plays an essential role in the endosomal/lysosomal degradation system as the Legumain deficiency causes the accumulation of pro cathepsins B, H & L, another group of lysosomal cysteine proteases. Furthermore, over expression of LGMN in tumors is important for invasion/metastasis.

MGP is vital for the regulation of calcification in the extracellular matrix, particularly in cartilage and arteries. The K-dependent vitamin MGP has five to six residues of Gla, a Ca2+ binding amino acid crucial for vitamin K-dependent gamma carboxylase for its formation. MGP is formed by COOH-terminal processing by carboxypeptidase B-like enzymatic activity and localized in the human bone.

CD207 (C-type lectin domain family 4 member K) is expressed in Langerhans cells which are immature dendritic cells of the epidermis and mucosa. Moreover, CD207 is expressed in several other dendritic cell types including dermal CD103+ DCs and splenic CD8+ DCs. Langerin is localized in the Birbeck granules, the organelles present in the cytoplasm of Langerhans cells and comprised of superimposed and zippered membranes. CD207 is a C-type lectin with mannose binding specificity, and it has been suggested that mannose binding by the CD207 protein leads to internalization of antigen into Birbeck granules thus providing access to a nonclassical antigen-processing pathway.

Lipocalin-2 also called Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) belongs to a family of lipocans which include 25 proteins (including a1-microglobulin and b-lactoglobulin), which are characterized by their ability to bind small lipophilic substances in their hydrophobic core.
They thereby serve as transporters of substances like retinal, biliverdins & prostaglandins. There are indications that NGAL is involved in modulation of the inflammatory response and is found in the plasma of patients after stroke.

GDF15 is part of the TGF-Beta superfamily that is involved in regulating inflammatory and apoptotic pathways in injured tissues and throughout disease processes. GDF15 is most abundant in the liver. Its expression in liver can be considerably up-regulated in during injury of organs such as liver, kidney, heart and lung. GDF-15 promotes proliferation or growth arrest and differentiation due to differences in cellular differentiation. GDF15 prevents apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons by activating Akt and inhibiting endogenously active ERK. GDF15 is a novel autocrine/endocrine factor that antagonizes the hypertrophic response and loss of ventricular performance.

Flagellin arranges itself in a hollow cylinder to create the filament in bacterial flagellum. Flagellin is the key substituent of bacterial flagellum, and is found in large quantities on almost all flagellated bacteria.

R-Spondin-1 (Rspo1) is a part of the Rspondin family. Rspo1 plays a role as an activator of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway by acting as a ligand for LGR4-6 receptors. Rspo1 induces the onset of crypt cell proliferation and increases intestinal epithelial healing effect. Rspo1 is negatively regulating the TGF-beta pathway.

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.

Oncostatin M is a member of a cytokine family that includes leukemia-inhibitory factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin 6. This gene encodes a growth regulator which inhibits the proliferation of a number of tumor cell lines. It regulates cytokine production, including IL-6, G-CSF and GM-CSF from endothelial cells.

Glycine amidinotransferase mitochondrial (GATM) is a mitochondrial enzyme which is a member of the amidinotransferase family. The GATM enzyme is involved in creatine biosynthesis, where it catalyzes the transfer of a guanido group from L-arginine to glycine, resulting in guanidinoacetic acid, the immediate precursor of creatine, which has an imperative role in energy metabolism in muscle tissues. GATM is significant in embryonic and central nervous system development. GATM gene mutations cause arginine:glycine amidinotransferase deficiency, an inborn error of creatine synthesis characterized by mental retardation, language impairment, and behavioral disorders.

CRYGC is a member of the beta/gamma-crystallin family. Mammalian lens crystallins are distributed into alpha, beta, and gamma families; beta and gamma crystallins are also considered as a superfamily. Gamma-crystallins are a homogeneous group of extremely symmetrical, monomeric proteins usually missing connecting peptides and terminal extensions and are differentially regulated after early development. Three pseudogenes (gamma-E,F,G) and four gamma-crystallin genes (gamma-A,B,C,D) are structured in a genomic sector as a gene cluster. Gamma-crystallins are involved in cataract formation as a result of aging or mutations in specific genes. Mutations in CRYGC result in cataract Coppock-like (CCL) and cataract autosomal dominant (ADC).

Secernin 1 (SCRN1) which is a member of the peptidase C69 family, regulates exocytosis in mast cells. SCRN1 increases both the level of secretion and the sensitivity of mast cells to stimulation with calcium.

Intein is a section of a protein which can remove itself and return the remaining segment with a peptide bond. In addition, Inteins hold an endonuclease domain which takes part in Intein proliferation. Actually, various genes have unrelated intein-coding segments inserted at altered positions and they were found in all three domains of life (eukaryotes, bacteria, and archaea) and in viruses.

GLC8 is a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 1 (Glc7p). GLC8 plays a role in glycogen metabolism and chromosome segregation, and regulates Glc7p activity through conformational alteration; ortholog of the mammalian protein phosphatase inhibitor 2. Under regular conditions, GLC8 triggers GLC7, but when GLC8 is over epxressed, it inhibits Glc7p function. GLC8 is activated upon phosphoylation by Pho85p complexed with four cyclins (Pcl6p, Pcl7p, Pcl8p, or Pcl10p).

Clusterin also named Apolipoprotein J (APO-J) is a 75-80 kD disulfide-linked heterodimeric protein containing about 30% of N-linked carbohydrate rich in sialic acid but truncated forms targeted to the nucleus have also been identified.
The precursor polypeptide chain is cleaved proteolytically to remove the 22-mer secretory signal peptide and subsequently between residues 227/228 to generate the a and b chains. These are assembled in anti-parallel to give a heterodimeric molecule in which the cysteine-rich centers are linked by five disulfide bridges and are flanked by two predicted coiled-coil a-helices and three predicted amphipathic a-helices.
Across a broad range of species clusterin shows a high degree of sequence homology ranging from 70% to 80%. It is nearly ubiquitously expressed in most mammalian tissues and can be found in plasma, milk, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and semen.
It is able to bind and form complexes with numerous partners such as immunoglobulins, lipids, heparin, bacteria, complement components, paraoxonase, beta amyloid, leptin and others. Clusterin has been ascribed a plethora of functions such as phagocyte recruitment, aggregation induction, complement attack prevention, apoptosis inhibition, membrane remodeling, lipid transport, hormone transport and/or scavenging, matrix metalloproteinase inhibition.
A genuine function of clusterin has not been defined. One tempting hypothesis says that clusterin is an extracellular chaperone protecting cells from stress induced insults caused by degraded and misfolded protein precipitates.
Clusterin is up- or down regulated on the mRNA or protein level in many pathological and clinically relevant situations including cancer, organ regeneration, infection, Alzheimer disease, retinitis pigmentosa, myocardial infarction, renal tubular damage, autoimmunity and others.