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Toll interacting protein (TOLLIP) is an inhibitory adaptor protein within Toll-like receptors. The TLR pathway is a part of the innate immune system which recognizes structurally conserved molecular patterns of microbial pathogens, initiating an inflammatory immune response. Negative regulation of TLR signaling by TOLLIP might restrict the production of proinflammatory mediators during inflammation and infection. Furthermore, TOLLIP forms a complex with Tom1 to regulate endosomal transferring of ubiquitinated proteins.

Factor that is thought to be a regulator of hematopoiesis. It has been shown to enhance the growth of human mast cells and megakaryoblastic leukemic cells as well as murine helper t-cell clones. IL-9 is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 32-39 that is derived from T-cells, and maps to human chromosome 5.

SAR1B is a small GTPase that functions as a homodimer. GTP-Binding Protein SAR1B (SAR1b) is involved in transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus and also in the selection of the protein cargo and the assembly of the COPII coat complex. The SAR1B protein is activated by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor PREB. SAR1B gene defects are a cause of chylomicron retention disease (CMRD), also known as Anderson disease (ANDD).

GRAP2 belongs to the GRB2/Sem5/Drk family. GRAP2 is an adaptor-like protein has a part in leukocyte-specific protein-tyrosine kinase signaling. Similar to related family member, GRB2-related adaptor protein contains an SH2 domain flanked by two SH3 domains and it interacts with other proteins, for example GRB2-associated binding protein 1 (GAB1) and the SLP-76 leukocyte protein (LCP2), through its SH3 domains.

Synovial Sarcoma, X Breakpoint 2 (SSX2) is a part of the family of highly homologous synovial sarcoma X breakpoint proteins which play a role as transcriptional repressors. Homologous synovial sarcoma X breakpoint proteins are also able to bring out spontaneous humoral and cellular immune responses in cancer patients, and are effective targets in cancer vaccine-based immunotherapy.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirusthat can lead to a condition in which the immune systembegins to fail, leading to opportunistic infections. HIV primarily infects vital cells in the humanimmune systemsuch as helper T cells(specifically CD4+ T cells), macrophagesand dendritic cells. HIV infection leads to low levels of CD4+ T cells through three main mechanisms: firstly, direct viral killing of infected cells; secondly, increased rates of apoptosisin infected cells; and thirdly, killing of infected CD4+ T cells by CD8 cytotoxic lymphocytesthat recognize infected cells. When CD4+ T cell numbers decline below a critical level, cell-mediated immunityis lost, and the body becomes progressively more susceptible to opportunistic infections. HIV was classified as a member of the genus Lentivirus, part of the family of Retroviridae. Lentiviruses have many common morphologies and biological properties. Many species are infected by lentiviruses, which are characteristically responsible for long-duration illnesses with a long incubation period. Lentiviruses are transmitted as single-stranded, positive-sense, enveloped RNA viruses. Upon entry of the target cell, the viral RNA genomeis converted to double-stranded DNAby a virally encoded reverse transcriptasethat is present in the virus particle. This viral DNA is then integrated into the cellular DNA by a virally encoded integraseso that the genome can be transcribed. Once the virus has infected the cell, two pathways are possible: either the virus becomes latentand the infected cell continues to function, or the virus becomes active and replicates, and a large number of virus particles are liberated that can then infect other cells.

p38a/SAPK2 is a member of the MAP kinase family. MAP kinases act as an integration point for multiple biochemical signals, and are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, transcription regulation and development. This kinase is activated by various environmental stresses and proinflammatory cytokines. The activation requires its phosphorylation by MAP kinase kinases (MKKs), or its autophosphorylation triggered by the interaction of MAP3K7IP1/TAB1 protein with this kinase. The substrates of this kinase include transcription regulator ATF2, MEF2C, and MAX, cell cycle regulator CDC25B, and tumor suppressor p53, which suggest the roles of this kinase in stress related transcription and cell cycle regulation, as well as in genotoxic stress response. Four alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene encoding distinct isoforms have been reported.

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from mice with experimentally induced allergic pulmonary inflammation contains a novel 9.4 kDa cysteine-rich secreted protein, RELM-alpha (FIZZ1, found in inflammatory zone). RELM-alpha is a secreted protein that has a restricted tissue distribution with highest levels in adipose tissue stroma. Murine RELM-alpha (FIZZ1) is the founding member of a new gene family including two other murine genes expressed, respectively, in intestinal crypt epithelium (RELM-beta) and white adipose tissue (Resistin), and two related human genes.
RELMalpha inhibits the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes but has no effect on proliferation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. RELMalpha is able to form heterooligomers with resistin but not RELMbeta. Since RELMalpha is expressed by adipose tissue and it is a secreted factor, our findings suggest that RELMalpha may be involved in the control of the adipogenesis as well as in the process of muscle differentiation.
In the lung, RELM-alpha is induced by hypoxia and was renamed as hypoxia-induced mitogenic factor (HIMF). HIMF strongly activated Akt phosphorylation. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 (10 micromol/L) inhibited HIMF-activated Akt phosphorylation. It also inhibited HIMFstimulated RPSM proliferation. Thus, the PI3K/Akt pathway, at least in part, mediates the proliferative effect of HIMF. Further studies showed that HIMF had angiogenic and vasoconstrictive properties. HIMF increased pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance. Further studies suggest that HIMF regulates apoptosis and may participate in lung alveolarization and maturation.

Cytoplasmic Polyadenylation Element Binding Protein 1 (CPEB1) belongs to the cytoplasmic polyadenylation element (CPE) binding protein family, whose members regulate translation of cyclin B1 during embryonic cell divisions. The CPEB1 is a highly conserved protein which binds to a specific RNA sequence called the CPE found in the 3' UTR of some mRNAs. Analogous proteins in Xenopus and mouse function to stimulate cytoplasmic polyadenylation of dormant mRNAs with short polyA tails, resulting in their translation.

NEDD8-activating enzyme E1 regulatory subunit (NAE1) is a member of the ubiquitin-activating E1 family. NAE1 binds to the beta-amyloid precursor protein. Beta-amyloid precursor protein is a cell surface protein with signal-transducing properties, and it is believed to have a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. NAE1 participates in a unique ubiquitinylation-related pathway involving the ubiquitin-like molecule NEDD8. Furthermore, the NAE1 protein is essential for cell cycle progression through the S/M checkpoint.

GDF10 is a member of the BMP family and the TGF-beta superfamily. GDF10 is expressed in femur, brain, lung, skeletal, muscle, pancreas and testis, and has a role in head formation and possibly multiple roles in skeletal morphogenesis. In humans, GDF10 mRNA is found in the cochlea and lung of fetuses, and in testis, retina, pineal gland, and other neural tissues of adults. The BMP family members are regulators of cell growth and differentiation in both embryonic and adult tissues. These proteins are characterized by a polybasic proteolytic processing site which is cleaved to produce a mature protein containing 7 conserved cysteine residues.

PRDX2 is part of the peroxiredoxin family of antioxidant enzymes, which reduce hydrogen peroxide and alkyl hydroperoxides. PRDX2 takes part as an antioxidant protective role in cells, and contributes to the antiviral activity of CD8(+) T-cells. PRDX2 has proliferative effect in cancer development or progression.
If PRDX2 protection is insufficient against peroxidases, the DNA damage results in neurological disease such as Alzheimer's or DNA damage leading to cancer.

AKR1C1 transfers progesterone to its inactive state or in other words catalyzes the reaction of 20-alpha-hydroxy progesterone (20-alpha-OHP). In the liver and intestine. AKR1C1 transfers bile and monitors the intrahepatic bile acid concentration though it has a low bile-binding ability. AKR1C1 participates in myelin formation. AKR1C1 is part of the aldo/keto reductase superfamily, which has over 40 known enzymes which catalyze the conversion of aldehydes and ketones to their corresponding alcohols by utilizing NADH and/or NADPH as cofactors thus display overlapping but distinct substrate specificity.

Osteopontin is a glycoprotein that was first identified in osteoblasts and is involved in bone remodeling, immune functions in fibroblasts, macrophages, and lymphocytes during inflammation and wound healing. SPP1 binds tightly to hydroxyapatite. SPP1 forms an integral part of the mineralized matrix. SPP1 is vital to cell-matrix interaction. Secreted Phosphoprotein-1 protects against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury via late preconditioning. Expression of both Ostepontin and CD44 in hepatocellular carcinoma is linked with advanced tumor stage and contributes to prognosis information. SPP1 is the most over-expressed gene in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Secreted Phosphoprotein-1 overexpression is related with interstitial lung diseases.

STBD1 has one carbohydrate binding type-20 (CBM20) domain and has the ability to bind to carbohydrates. STBD1 is highly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscles.

PAIP2 has a role as a repressor in the regulation of translation initiation of poly(A)-containing mRNAs. PAIP2 inhibitory activity on translation is mediated through its action on PABPC1. PAIP2 displaces the interaction of PABPC1 with poly(A) RNA and competes with PAIP1 for binding to PABPC1. PAIP2 association with PABPC1 results in disruption of the cytoplasmic poly(A) RNP structure organization.

Pyruvate kinase is a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway. The M2 isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase is specifically expressed at high levels in tumor cells, and can be measured in plasma of patients with advanced breast cancer. The marker is useful for measuring disease activity, sensitivity to chemotherapy and recurrence.

Phosphoglycerate mutase 2 (PGAM2) is a member of the phosphoglycerate mutase family. PGAM is a dimeric enzyme which contains in separate tissues, different proportions of a slow-migrating muscle (MM) isozyme, a fast-migrating brain (BB) isozyme, and a hybrid form (MB). PGAM (Phosphoglycerate mutase) catalyzes the reversible reaction of 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA) to 2-phosphoglycerate (2-PGA) in the glycolytic pathway. PGAM2 gene mutations cause muscle phosphoglycerate mutase efficiency, otherwise known as glycogen storage disease X.

TNFR2 belongs to the TNF-receptor superfamily. TNFR2 is receptor with high affinity for TNFSF2/TNF-alpha and approximately 5-fold lower affinity for homotrimeric TNFSF1/lymphotoxin-alpha. TNFR2 mediates the majority of the metabolic effects of TNF-alpha. In addition, knockout studies in mice propose a role for TNFR2 in protecting neurons from apoptosis by stimulating antioxidative pathways. TNFR2 expression might have a significant role in the angiogenesis, tumor cell proliferation and metastasis of Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast.
There are 2 types of soluble TNF receptors: sTNFR-I and sTNFR-II, which act to neutralize the biological activities of TNF alpha and TNF beta. The levels of these soluble receptors seem to increase as a result of shedding of the extracellular domains of the membrane bound receptors. High levels of soluble TNF receptors are found in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women. TNFR2 and TNFR1 form a heterocomplex which mediates the recruitment of 2 anti-apoptotic proteins, c-IAP1 and c-IAP2, which possess E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. IAPs’ function in TNF-receptor signaling is unknown; nevertheless, c-IAP1 is believed to potentiate TNF-induced apoptosis by the ubiquitination and degradation of TNF-receptor-associated factor 2, which mediates anti-apoptotic signals. Oxidative stress promotes TNFR1 and TNFR2 self-interaction, ligand-independent and enhanced ligand-dependent TNF signaling. TNF-a, TNFR1 and TNFR2 have roles in cellular differentiation. TNFR1 and TNFR2 function in cell type-specific renal injury.

Interleukin-1 ra is a member of the interleukin 1 cytokine family. IL1RAinhibits the activities of interleukin 1, alpha (IL1A) and interleukin 1, beta (IL1B), and modulates a variety of interleukin 1 related immune and inflammatory responses. IL1RAand 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.

Cartilage-associated protein (CRTAP) is a secreted protein localizing to the extracellular space which takes part in collagen post-translational modifications, extracellular fibril assembly and intracellular trafficking. CRTAP which is mainly expressed with predominant expression in articular chondrocytes is essential for efficient 3-hydroxylation of fibrillar collagen prolyl residues. Mutations in the gene encoding CRTAP might cause to autosomal recessive osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type 7 and type 2B.

Cholera Toxin B subunit (ctxB) Cholera is a protein complex secreted by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ctxB is responsible for the massive, watery diarrhea characteristic of cholera infection. The cholera toxin is an oligomeric complex made up of 6 protein subunits: a single copy of the A subunit and5 copies of the B subunit, denoted as AB5. Subunit B binds while subunit A activates the G protein which activates adenylate cyclase. The five B subunits form a five-membered ring. The A subunit has 2 important segments. The A1 portion of the chain (CTA1) is a globular enzyme payload that ADP-ribosylates G proteins, while the A2 chain (CTA2) forms an extended alpha helix which sits snugly in the central pore of the B subunit ring.