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Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), also called thyrotropin-releasing factor (TRF), thyroliberin or protirelin, is a tripeptide hormonethat stimulates the release of thyroid-stimulating hormoneand prolactinby the anterior pituitary.
TRH is produced by the hypothalamus, near the paraventricular nucleus.
It travels across the median eminenceto the pituitary via the hypophyseal portal system. It is released from cells called thyrotropes.
In addition to the brain, TRH can also be detected in other areas of the body including the gastrointestinal systemand pancreatic islets.
Protirelin stimulates the secretion of pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary and has been shown that protirelin increases secretion of prolactin. Protirelin is identified as 5-oxo-L-prolyl-L-histidyl-L-proline amide. It is a synthetic tripeptide that is believed to be structurally identical to the naturally-occurring thyrotropin-releasing hormone produced by the hypothalamus.

Atosiban is the first oxytocin antagonist to be specifically developed for the treatment of preterm labor. Atosiban has a specific mode of action, inhibiting oxytocin-induced uterine contractions by blocking oxytocin receptors in the uterus. Extensive clinical investigations have shown Atosiban to be at least as effective as current tocolytic agents. In addition, due to its novel and specific mode of action, Atosiban has a markedly improved maternal side effects profile compared with conventional therapies.

Calcitonin (CT) is a peptide hormone produced by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland in mammals and by the ultimobranchial gland of birds and fish. Salmon calcitonin (sCT), which is more potent and longer lasting than human CT, has been used widely for the treatment of osteoporosis, paget's disease, hypercalcemic shock and chronic pain in terminal cancer patients. sCT is one of the many bioactive peptides that require C-terminal amidation for full biological activity.

The Melanoma Inhibitory protein (MIA) was identified as an inhibitor of in vitro growth of malignant melanoma cells. The protein contains a SH3 domain. MIA acts as a potent tumor cell growth inhibitor for malignant melanoma cells and some other neuroectodermal tumors, including gliomas, in an autocrine fashion. In a study of human melanoma cell lines with different metastatic capacity MIA mRNA expression appeared to be inversely correlated with pigmentation. MIA has been shown to represent a very sensitive and specific serum marker for systemic malignant melanoma that might be useful for staging of primary melanomas, detection of progression from localized to metastatic disease during follow-up, and monitoring therapy of advanced melanomas.

Nephroblastoma Overexpressed (NOV) is a member of the CCN family of secreted cysteine rich regulatory proteins. The full length NOV protein is comprised of 4 structural domains, which present distinct, and sometimes opposing, biological activities. An elevated expression of NOV is linked with certain tumors, including Wilm’s tumor and most nephroblastomas. On the other hand, in other tumor types and certain cancer cell lines, increased tumorgenicity and proliferation is associated with decreased NOV expression.

LGALS2 is a soluble beta-galactoside binding lectin that controls cell-to-cell adhesion and cell-to-extracellular matrix interactions and takes part in tumor progression, pre-mRNA splicing and apoptosis. LGALS2 induces apoptosis in activated T cells and binds to the cytokine lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA) with threat of myocardial infarction.

Vascular endothelial growth factoris an important signaling proteininvolved in both vasculogenesisand angiogenesis. As its name implies, VEGF activity has been mostly studied on cells of the vascular endothelium, although it does have effects on a number of other cell types (e.g. stimulation monocyte/macrophagemigration, neurons, cancer cells, kidney epithelial cells ).VEGF mediates increased vascular permeability, induces angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth, promotes cell migration, and inhibits apoptosis. In vitro, VEGF has been shown to stimulate endothelial cell mitogenesisand cell migration. VEGF is also a vasodilator and increases microvascular permeability and was originally referred to as vascular permeability factor.
Elevated levels of this protein is linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Cystatins are a superfamily of cysteine proteinase inhibitors found in both plants and animals. They comprise a group of proteinase inhibitors, widely distributed in tissues and body fluids, and form tight complexes with cysteine proteases such as cathepsin B, H, L and S. Cystatin C, a secreted molecule of this family, is of interest from biochemical, medicine and evolutionary points of view. Cystatin C is increased in patients with malignant diseases, and is related to the insufficiency of renal function and appears to be a better marker than creatinine. On the other hand, low levels of cystatin C involve cause the breakdown of the elastic laminae and subsequently, the atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Collagen triple helix repeat-containing protein 1 (CTHRC1) functions as a negative regulator of collagen matrix deposition. CTHRC1 is a secreted 28kDa protein which is glycosylated and highly conserved from lower chordates to mammals. CTHRC1 is highly connected with calcified tissues and cartilaginous matrix, but not with endothelial cells. CTHRC1 is detected qualitatively in plasma of healthy human subjects. CTHRC1 plasma levels are also significantly elevated during pregnancy, in diabetes, in inflammatory and infectious conditions, in subjects with acute myeloid leukemia but not in subjects with solid cancers. The hormonal functions of CTHRC1 include regulation of lipid storage and cellular glycogen levels with potentially far-reaching implications for cell metabolism and physiology. CTHRC1 gene deletion leads to fatty liver (steatosis) formation in mice while others exhibited inactivation of the CTHRC1 gene also results in low bone mass.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase B (MsrB) from Escherichia coli is a member of the msrB Met sulfoxide reductase family. The E.coli msrB carries out the reduction of methionine-R-sulfoxide to methionine. msrB possess a metal binding site composed of 2 CXXC motifs. The bound metal (zinc or iron) may stabilize the conformation of the enzymes.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase B3 (MSRB3) is a member of the methionine sulfoxide reductases (MSR) family proteins. MSRB3 catalyzes the reduction of methionine sulfoxide to methionine. The MSRB3 enzyme acts as a monomer and requires zinc as a cofactor. MSRs are thought to defend against reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative damage in various organs, including the most environmentally exposed organ, the human skin. MSRB3 has a vital role in cold tolerance by eliminating MetO and ROS which accumulate at the ER during cold acclimation.

Sorting nexin 3 (SNX3) belongs to the large family of hydrophilic proteins, which interact with various receptor types and are involved in intracellular trafficking. SNX3 interacts with phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate, and is involved in protein trafficking. SNX3 comprises a distinct subgroup of nexins, which share less sequence similarity outside of the PX domain and have significantly different binding affinities for the tyrosine kinase receptors.

IFT20 is a fragment of intraflagellar transport (IFT) elements which takes part in ciliary process assembly. IFT20 is involved in the transferring of ciliary membrane proteins from the Golgi complex to the cilium and is expressed in virtually all tissues.

Sorcin (SRI) which is a 22kDa calcium-binding protein was originally identified in multidrug-resistant cells. Sorcin, which modulates excitation-contraction coupling in the heart, contributes to calcium homeostasis in the heart sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein 1 (SSBP) participates in mitochondrial biogenesis. SSBP binds preferentially and cooperatively to ss-DNA. The SSBP protein is involved in mitochondrial DNA replication and associates with mitochondrial DNA.

PDCD5 is expressed in tumor cells during apoptosis independent of the apoptosis-inducing stimuli. Prior to apoptosis induction, PDCD5 is distributed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Once apoptosis is induced, the amount of PDCD5 increases and by relocation from the cytoplasm, it accumulates in the nucleus.PDCD5 protein has a stable helical core conformation consisting of a triple-helix bundle and two dissociated terminal regions. PDCD5 is an important novel protein that regulates both apoptotic and non-apoptotic programmed cell death. PDCD5 functions in the process of apoptosis.
PDCD5 plays an important role in regulation of apoptotic processes in gastric cancer cells and gastric tumors.
PDCD5 plays a role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.
-27G/-11A SNP is associated with reduced PDCD5 promoter activity and increased susceptibility to chronic myelogenous leukemia.
PDCD5 gene may be a target gene under the control of some important apoptosis-related transcriptional factors during the cell apoptosis.

C1QTNF3 also called Cartducin is a novel angiogenic factor in the formation of neointima following angioplasty. C1QTNF3 a paralog of Acrp30 (adiponectin). C1QTNF3 is a secretory protein produced by chondrogenic precursors & proliferating chondrocytes, and belongs to a novel C1q family of proteins. Cartducin promotes the growth of mesenchymal chondroprogenitor cells & chondrosarcoma-derived chondrocytic cells in vitro. Cartducin stimulates mesenchymal chondroprogenitor cell proliferation through extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathways. C1QTNF3 promotes proliferation & the migration of endothelial cells.

Fc Fragment Of IgG Receptor And Transporter also known as FCGRT is a transmembrane glycoprotein with structural homology to MHC class 1 proteins. FCGRT is widely expressed in endothelial and epithelial cells and takes a vital part in IgG homeostasis. Moreover, FCGRT is expressed in neutrophils in addition myeloid antigen presenting cells. FCGRT can enhance IgG-meditated phagocytosis as well as antigen presentation by heses cells, however it promotes the degradation of opsonizing IgG rather than returning it to the circulation.

THAP Domain Containing, Apoptosis Associated Protein 7 (THAP7) holds one THAP-type zinc finger. THAP7 is a chromatin-associated, histone tail-binding protein which represses transcription by recruiting HDAC3 and nuclear hormone receptor corepressors.

Phospholipid scramblase (PLSCR1) is a member of the phospholipid scramblase family. PLSCR1 has a significant part in the antiviral reaction of IFN by intensifying and improving the IFN reaction via increasing expression of select subset of potent antiviral genes. PLSCR1 promotes cytokine-regulated cell proliferation and differentiation.

Cytokeratin 8 (KRT8) belongs to the type II keratin family clustered on the long arm of chromosome 12. Type I and type II keratins heteropolymerize to form intermediate-sized filaments in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. KRT8 typically dimerizes with keratin 18 to form an intermediate filament in simple single-layered epithelial cells. KRT8 has a role in retaining cellular structural integrity and also functions in signal transduction and cellular differentiation. KRT8 gene mutations cause cryptogenic cirrhosis.

TPM1 is a member of the tropomyosin family which consists of a number of extremely conserved, extensively distributed 35-45 kDa actin-binding proteins that are involved in the contractile system of striated and smooth muscles and the cytoskeleton of non-muscle cells. Tropomyosin-1 is composed of 2 alpha-helical chains arranged as a coiled-coil. TPM1 is polymerized end to end alongside the two grooves of actin filaments and provides stability to the filaments. TPM1 binds to actin filaments in muscle and non-muscle cells. TPM1 also functions in association with the troponin complex to regulate the calcium-dependent interaction of actin and myosin during muscle contraction. In non-muscle cells TPM1 is implicated in stabilizing cytoskeleton actin filaments. Smooth muscle contraction is controlled by interaction with caldesmon.
Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding a range of isoforms have been described in smooth muscle and non-muscle cells. TPM1 Isoform 1 is expressed in adult and fetal skeletal muscle and cardiac tissues, with higher expression levels in the cardiac tissues, whereas Isoform 10 is expressed in adult and fetal cardiac tissues, but not in skeletal muscle.
Mutations in the TPM1 gene are linked to type 3 familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Tropomyosin alpha-3 chain (TPM3) belongs to the tropomyosin family of actin-binding proteins involved in the contractile system of striated and smooth muscles and the cytoskeleton of non-muscle cells. Tropomyosins are dimers of coiled-coil proteins which polymerize end-to-end along the major groove in most actin filaments. Tropomyosins give stability to the filaments and regulate access of other actin-binding proteins. In muscle cells, tropomyosins regulate muscle contraction by controlling the binding of myosin heads to the actin filament. Mutations in the TPM3 gene cause autosomal dominant nemaline myopathy, and oncogenes formed by chromosomal translocations involving this locus are linked with cancer.