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Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important signaling protein involved in both vasculogenesis and 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 are linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

SNRPC is a member of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein C family. The SNRPC protein component of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) particle required for the formation of the spliceosome. SNRPC participates in the processing of nuclear precursor messenger RNA splicing. snRNP particles are tackled by autoantibodies frequently produced by patients with connective tissue diseases.

Peptidase Inhibitor 3, also referred to PI3, is neutrophil and pancreatic elastase-specific inhibitor of skin. The protein may prevent elastase mediated tissue proteolysis. PI3 has shown inhibition of alpha-4-beta-2/CHRNA2-CHRNB2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, a weak inhibition on Kv11.1/KCNH2/ERG1 and on the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1.

Ubiquinone biosynthesis protein COQ9 (COQ9) represents a mitochondrial ubiquinone biosynthesis gene. The COQ9 protein is likely required for biosynthesis of coenzyme Q10, since mutations at this locus have been linked with autosomal-recessive neonatal-onset primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency.

Ephrin-B3 (EFNB3) which belongs to the ephrin gene family is essential in brain development as well as in its maintenance. EFNB3 binds to, and induces the collapse of, commissural axons/growth cones in vitro. EFNB3 loosely binds Eph receptors located on bordering cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. The EPH and EPH-related receptors comprise the largest subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases and are implicated in mediating developmental events, mostly in the nervous system.

TFPI is a protease inhibitor which controls the tissue factor (TF)-dependent pathway of blood coagulation. The coagulation process starts with the creation of a factor VIIa-TF complex, that proteolytically triggers additional proteases (factors IX and X) and eventually results in a fibrin clot. TFPI inhibits the activated factor X and VIIa-TF proteases in an autoregulatory loop. TFPI is glycosylated and predominantly located in the vascular endothelium and plasma in both free forms and complexed with plasma lipoproteins. A number of alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene have are known, however the full-length nature of several of these variants were not yet established.

Factor B is a protein, build from a single chain that circulates in the blood. Complement factor D cleaves and activates factor B, thus creating a catalytic subunit Bb and noncatalytic chain Ba. Subunit Bb is a serine protease that can bind to C3b and forms alternative pathway C3 convertase. Subunit Ba acts as an inhibitor for proliferation of lymphocytes, when Bb is part of the lymphocytes’ proliferation. The gene that codes for this protein is located on chromosome six.

Neurotensin (NTS) is a common precursor for 2 peptides, neuromedin N and neurotensin. Neurotensin is a secreted tridecapeptide, which is generally distributed throughout the central nervous system, and may serve as a neurotransmitter or a neuromodulator. NTS is involved in dopamine-associated pathophysiological events, in the maintenance of gut structure and function, and in the regulation of fat metabolism. Tissue-specific processing may initiate the formation in some tissues of larger forms of neuromedin N and neurotensin. The large forms may embody more stable peptides which are also biologically active.

Chromogranin-A Isoform 1 Preproprotein or CHGA is part of the neuroendocrine secretory proteins of the chromogranin/secretogranin family. CHGA is a precursor of numerus enzymes such as pancreastatin, catestatin, vasostatin-1,vasostatin-2, and parastatin. The protein acts as a negative regulator the neuroendocrine activity of autocrine or nearby cells (paracrine). CHGA causes further production of secretory granules that contains insulin in pancreatic islet beta cells.

RLBP1 is a 36-kD water-soluble protein that transports 11-cis-retinal or 11-cis-retinaldehyde as physiologic ligands. RLBP1 is a functional element of the visual cycle. RLBP1 gene mutations cause retinitis punctata albescens, severe rod-cone dystrophy and Bothnia dystrophy (nonsyndromic autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa).

EFNA3 belongs to the ephrin (EPH) family. The ephrins and EPH-related receptors include thelargest subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases which have been implicated in mediating developmental events, especially in the nervous system and in erythropoiesis. Ephrins are divided into the ephrin-A (EFNA) class and the ephrin-B (EFNB) class, based on their structures and sequence relationships. The Ephrins from the EFNA class are anchored to the membrane by aglycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage, while the others from the EFNB class are transmembrane proteins.

RARRES2 is a secreted chemotactic protein that initiates chemotaxis through the ChemR23 G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane domain ligand. RARRES2 is upregulated by the synthetic retinoid tazarotene and found in a vast variety of tissues. RARRES2 acts as an adipokine, and is truncated on both termini from the proprotein. RARRES2 is structurally related to the cathelicidin precursors, cystatin C and kininogens. RARRES2 promotes calcium mobilization and chemotaxis of immature dendritic cells and macrophages. RARRES2 is secreted as a precursor of little biological activity, which requires proteolytic cleavage of its COOH-terminal domain to be exchangeed into a potent and highly specific agonist of ChemR23. RARRES2 signals via its receptor, ChemR23 (CMKLR1), as a positive regulator of adipocyte differentiation and metabolic function. The Chemerin receptor acts as a coreceptor for SIV and some primary HIV-1 strains. The Chemerin receptor has another ligand, called tazarotene-induced gene.

VCAM1 is a member of the Ig superfamily. It is a cell surface sialoglycoprotein expressed by cytokine activated endothelium. VCAM-1 contains 6 or 7 immunoglobulin domains, and is expressed on both large and small vessels only after the endothelial cells are stimulated by cytokines. The protein has a number of functions including the regulation of leukocyte migration, leukocyte endothelial cell adhesion and signal transduction and may play a role in a number of inflammatory diseases (artherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis).

Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important signaling protein involved in both vasculogenesis and 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 are linked to POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

SNRPD2 is a member of the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein core protein family. SNRPD2 is a small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNPs) which comprises the spliceosome in eukaryotes. SNRPD2 is required for pre-mRNA splicing and small nuclear ribonucleoprotein biogenesis.

ADAM10 is part of the ADAM family which are cell surface proteins with a distinctive structure possessing both potential adhesion and protease domains. ADAM10 cleaves many proteins including TNF-alpha and E-cadherin. ADAM10 cleaves the membrane-bound precursor of tnf-alpha at 76- ala-|-val-77 to its mature soluble form. ADAM10 is in charge for the proteolytic release of several other cell-surface proteins, including heparin-binding epidermal growth-like factor, ephrin-a2 and for constitutive and regulated alpha-secretase cleavage of amyloid precursor protein ADAM10 is involved in the normal cleavage of the cellular prion protein. ADAM10 is involved in the cleavage of the adhesion molecule l1 at the cell surface and in the release of membrane vesicles, suggesting a vesicle-based protease activity. ADAM10 controls the proteolytic processing of notch and mediates lateral inhibition during neurogenesis.

Streptavidin is a tetrameric protein secreted by Streptomyces avidinii which binds firmly to biotin. Streptavidin is wilyde used in molecular biology through its unique high affinity for the vitamin biotin. The dissociation constant (Kd) of the biotin-streptavidin complex is about ~10-15 mol/L. The strong affinity recognition of biotin and biotinylated molecules has made streptavidin one of the most important components in diagnostics and laboratory kits. The streptavidin/biotin system has one of the biggest free energies of association of yet observed for noncovalent binding of a protein and small ligand in aqueous solution (K_assoc = 10**14). The complexes are also extremely stable over a wide range of temperature and pH.

Granzyme-B (GZMB) is essential for target cell lysis in cell-mediated immune responses. GZMB is related to an activation cascade of caspases responsible for apoptosis execution. GZMB cuts caspase-3, -7, -9 and 10 to activate enzymes mediating apoptosis.

Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) belongs to the SFRP family which contains a cysteine-rich domain homologous to the putative Wnt-binding site of Frizzled proteins. SFRPs serve as soluble modulators of Wnt signaling. SFRP4 may serve as a regulator of adult uterine morphology and function. SFRP4 increases apoptosis during ovulation possibly via modulation of FZ1/FZ4/WNT4 signaling. SFRP4 also has phosphaturic effects by specifically inhibiting sodium-dependent phosphate uptake. SFRP4 is expressed in proliferative endometrium and several types of ovarian, endometrial and Brest tumors. SFRP4 is expressed in mesenchymal cells and in cardiomyocytes. SFRP4 expression in ventricular myocardium correlates with apoptosis related gene expression. SFRP4 is up-regulated in failing myocardium.

E-cadherin (uvomorulin, cell-CAM120/80) is a calcium dependent cell adhesion molecule expressed predominately in epithelial tissues. It plays an important role in the growth and development of cells via the mechanisms of control of tissue architecture and the maintenance of tissue integrity. Numerous studies have demonstrated that reduction and/or loss of Ecadherin expression in carcinomas correlates positively with the potential of these tumors for invasion and metastasis.