Search results

Tachykinin-3 belongs to the substance P-related tachykinin family. Tachykinins are active peptides that stimulate neurons, induce behavioral responses, are effective vasodilators and secretagogues, and contract (directly or indirectly) many smooth muscles. TAC3 and its receptor are essential switches of regulator of human puberty, regulated by the brain through the release of the GnRH which starts a chain of processes which eventually lead to the production of sex hormones.
During pregnancy, the expression of TAC3 is restricted to the outer syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta, significant concentrations of TAC3 can be identified in plasma as early as week 9, and plasma concentrations of TAC3 are grossly elevated in pregnancy-induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia. Higher Tachykinin-3 concentrations in normotensive pregnant women may be caused by the advanced gestational age and/or the result of a negative interaction of other vasoactive substances. TAC3 has a role in the continuance of high placental blood flow in normal pregnancy.

Core 1 Beta3-Gal-T1 also known as,C1GALT1 creates the common core 1 O-glycan structure, Gal-beta-1-3GalNAc-R, by the transfer of Gal from UDP-Gal to GalNAc-alpha-1-R. Core 1 is a precursor for lots of extended mucin-type O-glycans on cell surface and secreted glycoproteins. Studies in mice have shown that this gene takes a main role in angiogenesis, thrombopoiesis and kidney homeostasis.

Prohibitin 2, also known as PHB2, mediates transcriptional repression by nuclear hormone receptors via recruitment of histone deacetylases by similarity. PHB2 functions as an estrogen receptor (ER)-selective coregulator which potentiates the inhibitory activities of antiestrogens and represses the activity of estrogens. PHB2 which is involved in regulating mitochondrial respiration activity and in aging, competes with NCOA1 for modulation of ER transcriptional activity.

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.

Kallikreins are a subgroup of serine proteases having various physiological functions. Numerous kallikreins are involved in carcinogenesis. Kallikrein-11 (KLK11) which is a multifunctional protease is 1 of the 15 kallikrein subfamily members found in a cluster on chromosome 19. KLK11 cleaves synthetic peptides after arginine but not lysine residues.

Lipocalin-1 (LCN1) belongs to the lipocalin family of small secretory proteins. Lipocalins are extracellular transport proteins, which bind to various hydrophobic ligands. LCN1 protein is the principal lipid binding protein in tears and is overproduced in response to numerous stimuli including infection and stress. LCN1 is a marker for chromosome aneuploidy as well as an autoantigen in Sjogren's syndrome.

GHBP is a transmembrane receptor for GH. Binding of GH to the receptor leads to receptor dimerization and the activation of an intra- and intercellular signal transduction pathway leading to growth. A common alternate allele of this gene, called GHRd3, lacks exon three and has been well-characterized. Mutations in this gene have been associated with Laron syndrome, also known as the GH insensitivity syndrome (GHIS), a disorder characterized by short stature. Other splice variants, including one encoding a soluble form of the protein (GHRtr), have been observed but have not been thoroughly characterized.

Leukocyte Cell Derived Chemotaxin 1 (214-333 a.a.), also known as LECT1, is a glycosylated transmembrane protein which is cleaved to form a mature, secreted protein. The mature protein encourages chondrocyte growth and inhibits angiogenesis. The mature protein takes part in endochondral bone development by permitting cartilaginous anlagen to be vascularized and replaced by bone. LECT1 is expressed in the avascular area of prehypertrophic cartilage and its expression reduces during vascular invasion and chondrocyte hypertrophy.

GTPase, IMAP Family Member 5 (GIMAP5) is a part of the GTP-binding superfamily and the immuno-associated nucleotide subfamily of nucleotide-binding proteins. GIMAP5 is an antiapoptotic protein which is required for mitochondrial integrity and T-cell survival. Polymorphisms in GIMAP5 are related with systemic lupus erythematosus. Read-through transcription can be found between GIMAP5 and the neighboring upstream GIMAP1 (GTPase, IMAP family member 1) gene. GIMAP5 also contributes to T-cell quiescence.

GNPNAT1 is a member of the GNA1 subfamily of the larger acetyltransferase family of proteins. GNPNAT1 is limited to the Golgi apparatus and the endosome. GNPNAT1 is vital for UDPGlcNAc biosynthesis pathway. GNPNAT1 catalyzes the synthesis of GlcNAc6P from AcCoA and GlcN6P, a step in the UDP-GlcNAc6P formation pathway.

CIB2 is a member of the calcium and integrin-binding family.CIB2 is possibly a Ca2+-binding regulatory protein which interacts with DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). In the skeletal muscle, CIB2 co-localizes with the integrin alpha7B subunit at the sarcolemma and at the neuromuscular and myotendinous junctions. CIB2 is closely related to CIB1.

RAC3 belongs to the Rac subfamily of the Rho small G proteins. RAC3 is a small (approximately 21kDa) monomeric GTP-binding protein, which is an important component of intracellular signaling pathway, including the control of cell growth, cytoskeletal reorganization, and the activation of protein kinases.

A 16-kDa peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes and implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. Leptin provides the key afferent signal from fat cells in the feedback system that controls body fat stores.

Kallikrein-3 (KLK3) is a part of the kallikrein-related peptidase family. Kallikreins are a subgroup of serine proteases having various physiological functions. Numerous kallikreins take part in carcinogenesis and some may be prospective cancer and other disease biomarkers. Kallikrein-3 is 1 of the 15 kallikrein subfamily members located in a cluster on chromosome 19 and is a protease present in seminal plasma. KLK3 hydrolyzes semenogelin-1 consequently leading to the liquefaction of the seminal coagulum. KLK3 acts normally in the liquefaction of seminal coagulum, probably by hydrolysis of the high molecular mass seminal vesicle protein. Serum level of the KLK3 protein, called PSA in the clinical setting, is beneficial in the diagnosis and monitoring of prostatic carcinoma.

ANXA3 is an inhibitor of phospholipase A2. ANXA3 possesses anti-coagulant properties. ANXA3 cleaves the cyclic bond of inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate to form inositol 1-phosphate. ANXA3 is part of the annexin family which are members of the calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding protein family that are involved in the regulation of cellular growth and in signal transduction pathways. ANXA3 takes part as an anti-coagulation factor.

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 which is also called Endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1, ELAM1, ELAM belongs to a family of divalent cation-dependent carbohydrate-binding glycoproteins or adhesion molecules. Eselectin 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.

The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a family of secreted signaling molecules, which can induce ectopic bone growth. Various BMPs are part of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFB) superfamily. BMPs were initially identified by an ability of demineralized bone extract to induce endochondral osteogenesis in vivo in an extraskeletal site. Based upon its expression early in embryogenesis, BMP6 has a suggested role in early development. Moreover, the fact that the BMP6 is closely related to BMP5 and BMP7 leads to an assumption of possible bone inductive activity.

APIP catalyzes the dehydration of methylthioribulose-1-phosphate (MTRu-1-P) into 2,3-diketo-5-methylthiopentyl-1-phosphate (DK-MTP-1-P). APIP has an anti-apoptotic function and inhibits muscle ischemic impairment. APIP inhibits the cytochrome c-dependent and APAF1-mediated cell death.

Neuroglobin, 151 amino acid residue protein, mainly expressed in vertebrate brain and retina, is a recently identified member of the globin superfamily. Augmenting O (2) supply, neuroglobin promotes survival of neurons upon hypoxic injury, potentially limiting brain damage. Moreover, neuroglobin may be a novel oxidative stress-responsive sensor for signal transduction in the brain. Neuroglobin expression is increased by neuronal hypoxia in vitro and focal cerebral ischemia in vivo, and neuronal survival after hypoxia is reduced by inhibiting neuroglobin expression with an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide and enhanced by neuroglobin overexpression.

Leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor 2 (LAIR2) is a secreted, 131 amino acids protein which contains one IglikeC2 type domain, rendering it a member of the Ig superfamily. Even though one is secreted and one is membrane bound, the 2 LAIR proteins are assumed to have evolved from a common gene ancestor and seem to share similar adhesion profiles, suggesting that LAIR2 may compete with LAIR1 for ligand binding. LAIR2 was discovered by its similarity to LAIR1, which is an inhibitory receptor present on mononuclear leukocytes. The LAIR2 gene maps to a region of 19q13.4, dubbed the leukocyte receptor cluster, which contains 29 genes in the immunoglobulin superfamily, including LAIR1. The function of the LAIR2 protein is unknown, though it is assumed to be secreted and may help modulate mucosal tolerance.

Glycoprotein Nmb (GPNMB) is a member of the PMEL/NMB family. GPNMB is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein which exhibits homology to the pMEL17 precursor, a melanocyte-specific protein. GPNMB is expressed in the lowly metastatic human melanoma cell lines and xenografts but has no expression in the highly metastatic cell lines. GPNMB might be involved in growth delay and reduction of metastatic potential. GPNMB is up-regulated in a number of cancer cells, including in glioblastoma multiforme. GPNMB is expressed in many melanoma cells, as well as in tissue macrophages, including liver Kuppfer cells and lung alveolar macrophages, in podocytes and in some cells of the ciliary body of the eye (at protein level). GPNMB is hardly detectable in the healthy brain.