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Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 8 (CCL8) is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family that was once called monocyte chemotactic protein-2 (MCP-2). The CCL8 protein is produced as a precursor containing 109 amino acids, which is cleaved to produce mature CCL8 containing 75 amino acids. The gene for CCL8 is encoded by 3 exons and is located within a large cluster of CC chemokines on chromosome 17q11.2 in humans. MCP-2 is chemotactic for and activates a many different immune cells, including mast cells, eosinophils and basophils, (that are implicated in allergic responses), and monocytes, T cells, and NK cells that are involved in the inflammatory response. CCL8 elicits its effects by binding to several different cell surface receptors called chemokine receptors. These receptors include CCR1, CCR2B and CCR5.

MDC (CCL22) is a small cytokine that belongs to the CC chemokine family. CCL22 is one of several Cys-Cys (CC) cytokine genes clustered on the q arm of chromosome 16.
MDC shows chemotactic activity for natural killer cells, chronically activated T lymphocytes, monocytes and dendritic cells. On the other hand, MDC shows a mild activity for primary activated T lymphocytes and has no chemoattractant activity for neutrophils, eosinophils and resting T lymphocytes. MDC may also have a role in the trafficking of activated T lymphocytes to inflammatory sites and other aspects of activated T lymphocyte physiology. MDC interacts with cell surface chemokine receptors CCR4.
CCL22 is vastly expressed in macrophage and in monocyte-derived dendritic cells, and thymus. CCL22 is also found in the lymph node, appendix, activated monocytes, resting and activated macrophages. Lower expression of CCL22 can be seen in the lung and the spleen and very weak expression in the small intestine. In the lymph node CCL22 is expressed in a mature subset of Langerhans' cells (CD1a+ and CD83+).
Furthermore, CCL22 is expressed in atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis skin, and psoriasis, in both the epidermis and dermis. In addition, MDC has a role in hindering progression of lung cancer. Moreover, significantly higher CCL22 expression is linked to gastric cancer.

Zinc Finger HIT-Type Containing 1 (ZNHIT1) is a member of the ZNHIT1 family and contains 1 HIT-type zinc finger. The ZNHIT1 protein is induced by DNA damage and appears to have a role in p53-mediated apoptosis induction. ZNHIT1 interacts with MAPK11 and MAPK14 and is a component of the chromatin-remodeling SRCAP complex composed of at least SRCAP, DMAP1, RUVBL1, RUVBL2, ACTL6A, YEATS4, ACTR6 and ZNHIT1. ZNHIT1 binds to NR1D2 and discharges it of its inhibitory effect on the transcription of APOC3 without affecting its DNA-binding activity.

Members of the Rho (or ARH) protein family and other Ras-related small GTP-binding proteins are involved in various cellular procedures, such as cell cytoskeletal organization, secretion, proliferation, and signaling. The GTPBPs are active only in the GTP-bound state. At least 3 types of proteins firmly regulate cycling between the GTP-bound and GDP-bound states: GDP-dissociation inhibitors (GDIs), GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) and guanine nucleotide-releasing factors (GRFs). ARHGDIB and the other GDIs lower the level of GDP dissociation from Ras-like GTPases.

PDIA4 is an endoplasmic reticulum luminal protein that is a stress protein as well as a member of the protein disulfide isomerase family of proteins. PDIA4 participates in the catalysis of protein-S-S-bond rearrangement. PDIA4 and PDIA3 function as proteases, protein disulfide isomerases, phospholipases or an arrangement of these.

LYVE1 is a selective marker of the lymphatic endothelium & a surface endocytic receptor for both soluble and immobilized hyaluronan, LYVE1 is an extracellular glycosaminoglycan that plays a role in cell adhesion and migration. LYVE1 functions in lympathic hyaluronan transport and is involved in tumor metastasis. Recombinant human LYVE1 was expressed in and purified by conventional chromatography techniques. The normal adult human choroid is endowed with a significant number of LYVE-1 positive macrophages. LYVE-1 is expressed in a reticulum cell neoplasm in an axillary lymph node. This reticulum cell sarcoma is a lymphatic sinus lining cell sarcoma which might represent another subtype of reticulum cell sarcomas.
LYVE-1 immunohistochemistry is a functional method for detecting lymphatics invaded by cancer cells, and detailed examination of the submucosa around the tumor is important for predicting LN metastasis.

CD14 (also known lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor) is expressed strongly on monocytes and macrophage and weakly on the surface of neutrophils. CD14 is anchored to cells by linkage to glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) and functions as a high affinity receptor for complexes of LPS and LPS binding protein (LBP). Soluble CD14, also binding to LPS, acts at physiological concentration as an LPS agonist and has, at higher concentrations, an LPS antagonizing effect in cell activation. CD14 has been shown to bind apoptotic cells.

Histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 2 (HINT2) belongs to the triad proteins, which are nucleotide hydrolases and transferases that act on the alpha-phosphate of ribonucleotides. Hydrolase is most likely involved in steroid biosynthesis, furthermore it might play a role in apoptosis. HINT2 shows high expression in liver and pancreas. Expression is significantly down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Galectins are a family of animal lectins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. This family has at least 14 identified members. Galectins share similarities in the CRD (the carbohydrate recognition domain). Galectins are synthesized as cytosolic proteins. Though localized principally in the cytoplasm and lacking a classical signal peptide, galectins can also be stimulated to secretion by non-classical pathways or alternatively targeted to the nucleus. Galectins are involved in modulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Human Galectin-7 belongs to the prototypical Galectins containing a single CRD, which is initially identified in human epidermis as a monomer. The Galectin-7 expression is induced by tumor suppressor protein p53 and associated with apoptosis. Galectin-7 is a pro-apoptotic protein which functions intracellularlly upstream of JNK activation and mitochondrial cytochrome c release. The correlation of Galectin-7 with the UV-induced apoptosis of keratinocytes presents a critical mechanism in the maintenance of epidermal homeostasis. Human Galectin-7 is localized in both nucleus and cytoplasm.

Mouse Lungkine/CXCL15 (WECHE) belongs to the ELR motif-containing CXC chemokines. The mouse Lungkine gene has been mapped to chromosome 5. The cDNA of mouse Lungkine encodes a 166 amino acids (aa) protein with a 25 aa predicted signal peptide and a 141 aa mature protein with an exceptionally long C-terminal tail which extends beyond beyond the chemokine fold. Lungkine protein is secreted into bronchoalveolar space and is involved in lung-specific neutrophils trafficking. Furthermore, studies in Lungkine knockout mice propose that Lungkine is an imperative mediator of neutrophil migration from the lung parenchyma into the airspace. In addition, Lungkine is chemotactic for bone marrow progenitor cells and modulates hematopoietic cell differentiation. By Northern blot analysis and in-situ hybridization, Lungkine transcripts have only been specifically detected in the adult and fetal lung, and its expression is up-regulated under inflammatory conditions. There is a 35% aa sequence similarity between the mouse Lungkine and the human ENA-78 and a 31% similarity with the human IL-8.

IL4 is a pleiotropic cytokine produced by activated T cells. IL4 is a ligand for interleukin 4 receptor. The interleukin 4 receptor also binds to IL13, which may contribute to many overlapping functions of this cytokine and IL13. STAT6, a signal transducer and activator of transcription, has been shown to play a central role in mediating the immune regulatory signal of this cytokine. This gene, IL3, IL5, IL13, and CSF2 form a cytokine gene cluster on chromosome 5q, with this gene particularly close to IL13. IL4, IL13 and IL5 are found to be regulated coordinately by several long-range regulatory elements in an over 120 kilobase range on the chromosome. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene encoding distinct isoforms have been reported.

CD86 type I membrane protein is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily which is expressed by antigen-presenting cells, and acts as the ligand for two proteins at the cell surface of T cells, CD28 antigen and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4. CD86 binding with CD28 protein is a co-stimulatory signal for initiation of the T-cell. CD86 binding with CTLA-4 negatively regulates T-cell activation and diminishes the immune response.

C7 is necessary for formation of the membrane attack complex and is activated by bindingat the cell membrane to recently-formed C5b,C6 complexes. Each pathway of complement activation generates proteolytic enzyme complexes which bind the target surface. These enzymes cleave a peptide bond in the larger alpha chain of C5 releasing C5a and activating C5b. Although C5b is unstable it remains bound to the activating complex for a few minutes during which it binds a single C6 from the surrounding fluid or it decays and is no longer capable of forming MAC. The C5b,6 complex may also remain connected to the C3/C5 convertase where the binding of a single C7 exposes a membrane-binding region and C5b,6,7 can enter into the bilipid layer of the target cell.

Acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase (ACAT1) is an enzyme member of the membrane-bound acyltransferase family and Sterol o-acyltransferase subfamily. The ACAT1 enzyme catalyzes the reversible formation of acetoacetyl-CoA from 2 molecules of acetyl-CoA. ACAT1 plays a part in lipoprotein compilation and dietary cholesterol absorption. Added to its acyltransferase activity, ACAT1 acts as a ligase.

HDAC2 is a member of the histone deacetylase family that performs through the construction of large multiprotein complexes and are in charge of the deacetylation of lysine residues on the N-terminal region of the core histones. HDAC2 forms transcriptional repressor complexes by relating to a diversity of proteins, like YY1- a mammalian zinc-finger transcription factor.
In addition, HDAC2 has a vital part in transcriptional regulation, cell cycle progression and developmental procedures.

Cathepsin S (CTSS) belongs to the peptidase C1 family. CTSS is a lysosomal cysteine proteinase that participates in the degradation of antigenic proteins to peptides for presentation on MHC class II molecules. CTSS functions as an elastase over a broad pH range in alveolar macrophages.

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.

Aldolase A (ALDOA) is a glycolytic enzyme, which catalyzes the reversible conversion of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate. ALDOA is found in the developing embryo and is produced in even greater amounts in adult muscle. ALDOA expression is repressed in the adult liver, kidney and intestine and similar to ALDOC levels in the brain and other nervous tissue. ALDOA deficiency has been linked with myopathy and hemolytic anemia.

MVK is a member of the GHMP kinase family. Mevalonate is a vital mediator, and MVK an important early enzyme, in isoprenoid and sterol synthesis. MVK deficiency can result in gene mutation associated with Mevalonic aciduria, an illness which causes psychomotor retardation, failure to thrive hepatosplenomegaly, anemia and frequent febrile crises. Mutations in this gene also cause hyperimmunoglobulinaemia D and sporadic fever syndrome, in which the person suffers from recurrent episodes of fever related with lymphadenopathy, skin rash, gastrointestinal dismay and arthralgia.

MYL4 is a hexameric ATPase cellular motor protein which is composed of two nonphosphorylatable alkali light chains, two heavy chains and two phosphorylatable regulatory light chains. MYL4 encodes a myosin alkali light chain which is located in embryonic muscle and adult atria. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein were found for this gene.

APP is a cell surface receptor and transmembrane precursor protein which is cleaved by secretases to form a number of peptides. Some of these peptides are secreted and can bind to the acetyltransferase complex APBB1/TIP60 to promote transcriptional activation, while others form the protein basis of the amyloid plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease. Mutations in the APP gene are implicated in autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease and cerebroarterial amyloidosis (cerebral amyloid angiopathy).

SHMT1 is a member of the SHMT family. SHMT1 is the cellular form of serine hydroxymethyltransferase, a pyridoxal phosphate-containing enzyme which catalyzes the reversible conversion of serine and tetrahydrofolate to glycine and 5 10-methylene tetrahydrofolate. In addition, SHMT1 specifically provides one-carbon units for thymidylate biosynthesis, reduces methylenetetrahydrofolate pools for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthesis by synthesizing serine, sequesters 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and inhibits SAM synthesis.

Ectodysplasin A Receptor, also known as EDAR belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor family. EDAR is a receptor for the soluble ligand ectodysplasin A, and is capable of activating the nuclear factor-kappaB, JNK, as well as caspase-independent cell death pathways. EDAR is necessary for the development of hair, teeth, and other ectodermal derivatives. Furthermore, mutations in EDAR resulted in autosomal dominant and recessive forms of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

Human Cu/Zn Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1) catalyzes the reaction between superoxide anions and hydrogen to yield molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. The enzyme protects the cell against dangerous levels of superoxide. SOD1 binds copper and zinc ions and is 1 of 3 isozymes accountable for destroying free superoxide radicals in the body. The encoded protein neutralizes supercharged oxygen molecules, which can damage cells if their levels are not controlled. Mutations in SOD1 cause a form of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.