Search results

IL-7 is a cytokine important for B and T cell development. This cytokine and the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) form a heterodimer that functions as a pre-pro-B cell growth-stimulating factor. This cytokine is found to be a cofactor for V(D)J rearrangement of the T cell receptor beta (TCRB) during early T cell development. This cytokine can be produced locally by intestinal epithelial and epithelial goblet cells, and may serve as a regulatory factor for intestinal mucosal lymphocytes. Knockout studies in mice suggested that this cytokine plays an essential role in lymphoid cell survival.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a chemokine produced by macrophages and other cell types such as epithelial cells. It is also synthesized by endothelial cells, which store IL-8 in their storage vesicles, the Weibel-Palade bodies. When first encountering an antigen, the primary cells to encounter it are the macrophages who phagocytose the particle. Upon processing, they release chemokines to signal other immune cells to come in to the site of inflammation. IL-8 is one such chemokine. It serves as a chemical signal that attracts neutrophils at the site of inflammation, and therefore is also known as Neutrophil Chemotactic Factor.

Egl Nine Homolog 3 (EGLN3) belongs to the EGLN family of prolyl hydroxylases. EGLN3 catalyzes hydroxylation of the ? subunit of hypoxia-inducible factor-?, which targets hypoxia-inducible factor-? for ubiquitination by a ubiquitin ligase complex containing the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor. EGLN3 is the most significant isozyme in limiting physiological activation of HIFs (especially HIF2A) in hypoxia. EGLN3 is activated in cardiovascular cells and Hela cells after exposure to hypoxia. In addition, EGLN3 hydroxylates PKM2 in hypoxia, thus limiting glycolysis. Under normoxia, EGLN3 hydroxylates and regulates the stability of ADRB2. EGLN3 is inhibited by polynitrogen compounds possibly by chelation to Fe2+ ions.

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 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. The expression of alpha-A is preferentially restricted to the lens cell.

The Recombinant Protein L is comprised of 5 kappa-binding domains. Protein L has the exceptional ability to bind through kappa light chain interactions without hindering with the antibody’s antigen-binding site. This gives Protein L the capacity to bind a broader range of Ig classes and subclasses than other antibody-binding proteins. The recombinant Protein L is perfect for purification of polyclonal or monoclonal IgG antibodies. Protein L binds to IgG from humans, mice, rats and pigs.

Procollagen C-endopeptidase enhancer 1, also known as PCOLCE binds to the C-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen and enhances procollagen C-proteinase activity. In addition, C-terminal processed part of PCPE (CT-PCPE) has a metalloproteinase inhibitory activity. Among the diseases which are associated with PCOLCE: bone fracture & oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.

Hexokinases phosphorylate glucose to produce glucose-6-phosphate, thus committing glucose to the glycolytic pathway. Hexokinase 2 is the predominant form found in skeletal muscle. It localizes to the outer membrane of mitochondria. Expression of this gene is insulin-responsive, and studies in rat suggest that it is involved in the increased rate of glycolysis seen in rapidly growing cancer cells.

SIRT2 belongs to the sirtuin family of proteins, homologs to the yeast Sir2 protein. Proteins of the sirtuin family are characterized by a sirtuin core domain and grouped into four classes and take part in various processes, including transcriptional regulation, cell cycle progression, DNA-damage repair and aging. SIRT2 is a NAD-dependent deacetylase, which deacetylates the 'Lys-40' of alpha-tubulin.

Synaptotagmin-1(SYT1) is a member of the synaptotagmin family, which contains two C2 domains. The synaptotagmins are integral membrane proteins of synaptic vesicles assumed to function as Ca(2+) sensors in the process of vesicular trafficking and exocytosis. SYT1 is the principal regulator responsible for allowing the human brain to release neurotransmitters. SYT1 may have a regulatory role in the membrane interactions during trafficking of synaptic vesicles at the active zone of the synapse. SYT1 binds acidic phospholipids with a specificity which entails the presence of both an acidic head group and a diacyl backbone. SYT1 can also bind to at least 3 additional proteins in a Ca2+-independent manner; these being neurexins, syntaxin and AP2.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 2DL4, also known as KIR2DL4 is part of the killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) family. KIR proteins with the long cytoplasmic domain transduce inhibitory signals through an immune tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM), whereas KIR proteins which contain the short cytoplasmic domain, lack the ITIM motif and as a substitute associate with the TYRO protein tyrosine kinase binding protein to transduce activating signals. KIR2DL4 stimulates NK cells to produce IFN-gamma and stimulation with IL-2 upregulates cell surface expression on CD56dimcells and leads to the inhibition of the cytolytic NK cell function.

Galectin-16 (LGALS16) binds lactose with high affinity. LGALS16 is a strong inducer of T-cell apoptosis.

Prolactin is a neuroendocrine hormone synthesized primarily by the pituitary gland but also a variety of other cell types including the placenta, brain and uterus. Its primary function is to promote and maintain lactation but has also been shown to have a role in breast cancer development, regulation of reproductive function and immunoregulation.

Lamin-A is a major component of the nuclear lamina, a dynamic meshwork located just under the nuclear envelope and it is encoded by lamin A/C gene (LMNA).
Lamin-A is synthesized as Prelamin A, a longer precursor that in vivo goes through a serial post-translational modifications that lead to mature Lamin A.
Diverse mutations in the Lamin A/C gene are associated with different diseases that are collectively called laminophaties, including Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, familiar partial lipodystrophy, limb girdle muscular dystrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

VPS29 is a member of a group of genes coding for vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) proteins which, when functionally damaged, lessens the efficient transfer of vacuolar hydrolases. VPS29 is a late Golgi transmembrane protein that operates as the sorting receptor for soluble vacuolar hydrolases, from the prevacuolar endosome back to the Golgi. Moreover, VPS29 takes part in the creation of the inner shell of the retromer coat for retrograde vesicles parting the prevacuolar compartment.

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) is a zinc metallopeptidase vital for blood pressure control and salt and water metabolism.ACE converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II by release of the terminal His-Leu which causes the vasoconstrictor activity of angiotensin to increase.ACE inactivates bradykinin, a potent vasodilator and has also a glycosidase activity which releases GPI-anchored proteins from the membrane by cleaving the mannose linkage in the GPI moiety.

IL-28A is distantly related to the IL-10 family. Expression of IL-28A is induced by viral infection which interacts with a heterodimeric class II cytokine receptor that consists of interleukin 10 receptor, beta (IL10RB) and interleukin 28 receptor, alpha. IL-28A exhibits common features with type I IFNs such as antiviral activity, antiproliferative activity and in vivo antitumour activity.
IL-28A acts similarly to IFNs, but is less effective generally and has activity in a more limited range of cell lines. IFN-ambda 1, IFN-lambda 2 and IFN-lambda 3 are closely positioned genes on human chromosome 19.
IL-28A induces ELR(-) CXC chemokine mRNA in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, in an IFN-gamma-independent manner.
IL-28A is able to generate tolerogenic DCs, an activity that could thwart IFN-beta functions. IL-28A produced in response to viral infection, activates both monocytes and macrophages producing a restricted panel of cytokines and therefore is an important factor in activating innate immune responses at the site of viral infection.

IL-28B is a cytokine remotely related to type I interferons and the IL-10 family. Interleukin-28B, interleukin 28A (IL28A), and interleukin 29 (IL29) are 3 closely related cytokine genes which form a cytokine gene cluster on a chromosomal region mapped to 19q13. Expression of the cytokines encoded by these 3 genes can be induced by viral infection. All 3 cytokines interact with a heterodimeric class II cytokine receptor which consists of interleukin 10 receptor, beta (IL10RB) and interleukin 28 receptor, alpha (IL28RA).

IL-17Ealso called IL-25,has a sequence similarity with IL17. IL-17E indluces NF-kappaB activation, and stimulates the production of IL-8. IL17E and IL17B are ligands for the cytokine receptor IL17BR. IL-25 is a proinflammatory cytokine favoring Th2-type immune response. The upregulation of costimulation-induced IL-17E receptors and release of cytokines and chemokines from IL-17E treated costimulated Th cells are differentially regulated by intracellular JNK, p38 MAPK and NF-kappaB activity. Blocking Iinterleukin-25 prevents airway hyperresponsiveness, a critical feature of clinical asthma. IL25 produced by innate effector eosinophils and basophils increase the allergic inflammation by enhancing the maintenance and functions of TSLP-DC activated adaptive Th2 memory cells. Over expression of IL-25 up-regulates gene expression of Th2 cytokines and induces growth retardation, jaundice, and multiorgan inflammation in a transgenic mouse model. IL-25 contributes to the induction and maintenance of eosinophilic inflammation by acting on lung fibroblasts which supports the fact that IL-17E is an important factor in asthma pathophysiology. IL-17E operates by amplifying TH2 cell-mediated allergic airway inflammation but doesn’t induce allergic inflammation in vivo.

Human interleukin family 1, member 7 (IL1F7) belongs to the interleukin 1 cytokine family. There are 5 alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms with distinct expression profiles. The longest IL-1F7 transcript, named IL1F7b or IL1F7 isoform 1, encodes a 218 aa residues proprotein and containing a 45 aa propeptide which is cleaved to produce a mature protein. IL1F7b binds to IL18 Rb with low affinity however it doesn’t exert any IL18 agonistic or antagonistic effects. IL1F7b also binds IL18BP (interleukin 18 binding protein), which is an inhibitory binding protein of interleukin 18 (IL18), and afterward forms a complex with IL18 receptor beta subunit, and through which it inhibits the activity of IL18.

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 ? and ? 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 ? -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, b

BP-1 gene, a member of the DLX homeobox gene family, is overexpressed in 80% of breast cancer patients, and thus represents a potential new target for diagnosis and treatment.
Members of the Dlx gene family contain a homeobox that is related to that of Distal-less (Dll), a gene expressed in the head and limbs of the developing fruit fly (Drosophila). The Distal-less (Dlx) family of genes comprises at least 6 different members, DLX1-DLX6. The DLX proteins are postulated to play a role in forebrain and craniofacial development. Three transcript variants have been described for this gene, however, the full length nature of one variant has not been described. Studies of the two splice variants revealed that one encoded isoform functions as a repressor of the beta-globin gene while the other isoform lacks that function.

Urinary-Trypsin Inhibitor is a glucoprotein proteinase inhibitor which inhibits the activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, lactate, lipase, hyaluronidase and various pancreatic enzymes. Ulinastatin is effective for acute pancreatitis, chronic recurrent pancreatitis and hemorrhagic, traumatic and endotoxic shocks. Ulinastatin is has strong inhibition effect to various protease, sugar and fat hydrolase. Ulinastatin precursor is proteolytically processed into distinct functioning proteins. Urinary trypsin inhibitor belongs to the superfamily of Kunitz-type protease inhibitors and plays an important role in many physiological and pathological processes. Uristatin gene is located on chromosome 9 in a cluster of lipocalin genes.
High levels of Ulinastatin secretion is an early marker of renal tubular involvement and has radical scavenging activity. Bikunin localizes cell membrane.
Free uristatin and bikunin pass readily into urine and are primarily bound to heavy chains that constitute the proinhibitor form in plasma. UTI has a calculated Mw of approx. 20kDa and 40kDa by SDS-PAGE analysis.
Ulinastatin particularly interacts with ORF3 protein of hepatitis E virus and in charge for enhancing alpha microglobulin export from the hepatocyte.