Search results

Exedin-4 Recombinant is a like peptide-1 receptor agonist. The native hormone is produced in the gut of Gila monster Heloderma suspectrum (a type of reptile found in the desert) that stimulates production without causing threateningly low blood sugar, which can occur after using some anti-diabetes products. Recently, researchers used extracted saliva from gila monsters to create an unprecedented breakthrough in Diabetes Type 2 treatment. Unlike other products taken for type 2 diabetes, Exedin-4 has not been linked with weight gain and actually resulted in weight loss, according to the researchers. Exedin-4 enhances glucose-dependant secretion, suppresses inappropriately elevated secretion and slows gastric emptying in vivo. It also promotes B-cell proliferation and neogenesis in vitro and in animal models. Exedin-4 stimulates an increase in acinar cAMP, without stimulating the release of amylase.

Vimentin expression in human malignant glioma cells depends on cellular density, algorithms of drug delivery and chemo/radio treatment. Vimentin and detyrosinated microtubules provide structural support for the extensive microtentacles observed in detached tumor cells and a mechanism to promote successful metastatic spread. Primary colorectal carcinomas display aberrant expression of vimentin, and have activated Notch and TGFbeta signaling pathways. Vimentin is a strong arterial substrate for transglutaminases. Transglutaminase-mediated vimentin dimerization results in a novel unifying pathway by which vasodilatory and remodeling responses may be regulated. Ablation of vimentin expression inhibits migration and invasion of colon and breast cancer cell lines. Vimentin is the main intermediate filament protein in mesenchymal cells and is therefore of value in the differential diagnosis of undifferentiated neoplasms.

Inhibins are dimeric peptide hormones produced by female ovarian granulose cells and male Sertoli cells as well as a variety of other tissues. Inhibins have two isoforms, A and B, with the same alpha subunit but different beta subunits. Inhibin A is a dimer of alpha and beta A subunits, inhibin B is a dimer of alpha and beta B subunits.
Inhibins are thought to inhibit the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the pituitary gland. In addition, Inhibins are also thought to play a role in the control of gametogenesis, and embryonic and fetal development.

Alpha-cardiac actin belongs to the actin family which is comprised of three main groups of actin isoforms, alpha, beta, and gamma. The alpha actins are found in muscle tissues and are a major constituent of the contractile apparatus. Defects in the cardiac actin have been associated with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) and familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC).

Streptavidin is a tetrameric protein secreted by Streptomyces avidinii which binds firmly to biotin. Streptavidin is widely 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.

Calpain, Small Subunit 1 (CAPNS1) belongs to the calpain small subunit family. Calpains are a ubiquitous, well-conserved family of calcium-dependent, cysteine proteases, widely distributed in mammalian cells. Calpain families are implicated in neurodegenerative processes, considering that their activation can be triggered by calcium influx and oxidative stress. Calpains function as heterodimers, comprising a specific large catalytic subunit (calpain 1 subunit in Calpain I, and calpain 2 subunit in Calpain II), and a common small regulatory subunit encoded by the CAPNS1 gene. The CAPNS1 protein is vital for the stability and function of both calpain heterodimers, whose proteolytic activities influence numerous cellular functions including apoptosis, proliferation, migration, adhesion, and autophagy.

Elcatonin is a Calcitonin derivative which is transformed from eel´s calcitonin by changing the S-S bond into the stable C-N bond. It inhibits the absorption and autolysis of bones, thus leads to blood calcium descending. In addition, it inhibits the bone salts dissolving and transferring and promotes the excretion of calcium and phosphorus in urine. Meanwhile, it inhibits renal tubules reabsorbing calcium, phosphorus and sodium and keeps blood calcium at normal level. It is mainly used for remitting or eliminating the pain caused by Osteoporosis.

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.

S100P was originally described as a placental protein of 95 amino acid residues shares about 50% sequence identity with the brain S100 proteins alpha and beta.
S100 proteins are small dimeric members of the EF-hand superfamily of Ca(2+) binding proteins thought to participate in mediating intracellular Ca(2+) signals by binding to and thereby regulating target proteins in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. S100P in addition to binding Ca2+, also binds Zn2+ and Mg2+. S100P gene is located on chromosome 4p16.
S100P is dysregulated in the androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP-R, DU145, and PC3 and may play a role in the etiology of prostate cancer.
In ductal hyperplasias, in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma, but not in the normal tissues, S100P overexpression is an early event that might play an important role in the immortalization of human breast epithelial cells in vitro and tumor progression in vivo.
In NIH3T3 cells, the expression of S100P led to the presence of S100P in the culture medium, increased cellular proliferation, and enhanced survival following detachment from the culture substrate or after exposure to the chemotherapeutic agent 5-flurouracil. The proliferation and survival effects of S100P expression were duplicated in a time- and concentration-dependent manner by extracellular addition of purified S100P to wild-type NIH3T3 cells and correlated with the activation of Erks and NFB.
To determine the mechanisms involved in these effects, we tested the hypothesis that S100P activated RAGE (Receptor for Activated Glycation End-Products). It was found that S100P coimmunoprecipitated with RAGE. Furthermore, the effects of S100P on cell signaling, proliferation and survival were blocked by agents that interfere with RAGE including administration of an amphoterin derived peptide known to antagonize RAGE activation, anti-RAGE antibodies and by expression of a dominant negative RAGE. These data suggest that S100P can act in an autocrine manner via RAGE to stimulate cell proliferation and survival.

S100A7A takes part in epidermal differentiation and inflammation thus is significant for the pathogenesis of psoriasis and other diseases.

CTNNBIP1 binds CTNNB1 and avoids interaction between CTNNB1 and TCF (T-cell transcription factor) family members. CTNNBIP1 is a negative regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway.

Polcalcin Aln g 4 (Aln G 4.0101) causes an allergic reaction in humans.

S100A14 belongs to a subfamily of proteins related by EF-hand Ca2+ binding protein superfamily. The extracellular functions of the S100 family include the ability to boost neurite outgrowth, involvement in inflammation, and motility of tumor cells. S100A14 contains 2 EF-hand Ca2+-binding domains, a myristoylation motif, a glycosylation site, and a number of potential protein kinase phosphorylation sites. S100A14 is expressed at high levels in the colon and at moderate levels in the thymus, kidney, liver, small intestine, and lung.

Sclerostin (SOST) is a secreted glycoprotein with a C-terminal cysteine knot-like (CTCK) domain and sequence similarity to the DAN (differential screening-selected gene aberrative in neuroblastoma) family of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists. Sclerostin functions as a negative regulator of bone growth, by inhibiting bone formation. SOST is widely expressed at low levels, with highest levels in the bone, cartilage, kidney, liver, bone marrow and primary osteoblasts differentiated for 21 days. SOST gene defects cause sclerosteosis and bone dysplasia.

Sclerostin (SOST) is a secreted glycoprotein with a C-terminal cysteine knot-like (CTCK) domain and sequence similarity to the DAN (differential screening-selected gene aberrative in neuroblastoma) family of bone morphogenetic protein antagonists. Sclerostin functions as a negative regulator of bone growth, by inhibiting bone formation. SOST is expressed mainly in the bone, cartilage, kidney, liver, bone marrow and primary osteoblasts differentiated for 21 days. SOST gene defects cause sclerosteosis and bone dysplasia.

Sperm Antigen With Calponin Homology And Coiled-Coil 1 (SPECC1) which is a part of the cytospin-A family takes part in cytokinesis and spindle organization. SPECC1 takes part in actin cytoskeleton organization and microtubule stabilization and therefore necessary for proper cell adhesion and migration.

Calcyphosine (CAPS) is a calcium-binding protein containing four EF-hand domains. CAPS protein was originally identified as thyroid protein p24 which is found in a number of epithelium and in some cells of the central nervous system. CAPS may have a role in the regulation of ion transport. In the thyroid follicular cells, CAPS is synthesized and phosphorylated in response to stimulation by thyrotropin and cAMP agonists.

CASQ2 belongs to the calsequestrin family and is localized to the sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac and slow skeletal muscle cells. CASQ2 is a calcium binding protein that stores calcium for muscle function. The discharge of calcium bound to CASQ2 through a calcium release channel activates muscle contraction. CASQ2 binds 40 to 50 moles of calcium. CASQ2 mutations result in stress-induced polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, also called catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia 2 which is known fir its bidirectional ventricular tachycardia that causes cardiac arrest.

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.

RCAN2 is a member of the RCAN (Regulator of calcineurin) family that controls the activity of Calcineurin using a valine-rich region placed in their carboxyl tail. RCANs race against NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T-cells) to bind to the same docking site in calcineurin, and consequently inhibits or activates calcineurin activity. RCAN2 is a Ca(2+) dependent protein phosphatase which takes part in numerous neuornal functions.

Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) is the mammalian homologue of STC, which was originally identified as a calcium/phosphate-regulating hormone in bony fishes. In contrast, STC1 may play an autocrine and paracrine role with pleiotropic effects in mammals. It is expressed in a wide variety of tissues, but unexpectedly is not detected in the circulation under normal circumstances, which is possibly caused by its attaching to soluble and tethered forms of a high-affinity binding protein. STC-1 can affect calcium homeostasis, bone and muscle mass and structure, and angiogenesis through effects on osteoblasts, osteoclasts, myoblasts/myocytes, and endothelial cells in mouse model. Differential regulation of myocardial STC1 protein expression was reported in heart failure. In addition, STC1 may regulate calcium currents in cardiomyocytes and may contribute to the alterations in calcium homeostasis of the failing heart. STC1 was found to be a selective modulator of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced endothelial migration and morphogenesis, an inhibitor of macrophage chemotaxis and chemokinesis, suppressor of progesterone and luteinization inhibitor. Together with STC-2, it may play important roles in the processes of implantation and decidualization in the rat. In terminally differentiated adipocytes, it may function as a "survival factor", which contributes to the maintenance of the integrity of mature adipose tissue. In context with its possible role in gestation, a Big STC, a three highermolecular- mass variant has been described. STC1 was identified as one of hypoxia-responsive genes coupled to hypoxia-driven angiogenesis.
Current research indicates that STC-1 might be a useful molecular marker to detect tumor cells in blood and bone marrow from patients with various types of malignancies.

The secreted polypeptide noggin, encoded by the NOG gene, binds and inactivates members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily signaling proteins, such as bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4). By diffusing through extracellular matrices more efficiently than members of the TGF-beta superfamily, noggin may have a principal role in creating morphogenic gradients. Noggin appears to have pleiotropic effect, both early in development as well as in later stages. It was originally isolated from Xenopus based on its ability to restore normal dorsal-ventral body axis in embryos that had been artificially ventralized by UV treatment. The results of the mouse knockout of noggin suggest that it is involved in numerous developmental processes, such as neural tube fusion and joint formation. Recently, several dominant human NOG mutations in unrelated families with proximal symphalangism (SYM1) and multiple synostoses syndrome (SYNS1) were identified; both SYM1 and SYNS1 have multiple joint fusion as their principal feature, and map to the same region (17q22) as NOG. All NOG mutations altered evolutionarily conserved amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of human noggin is highly homologous to that of Xenopus, rat and mouse.

Calnexin (CANX) belongs to the calnexin family of molecular chaperones. Calnexin is a calcium-binding, ER-associated protein that interacts briefly with newly synthesized N-linked glycoproteins, facilitating protein folding and assembly. Calnexin may also have a key role in the quality control of protein folding by retaining incorrectly folded protein subunits within the ER for degradation. Calnexin grants long-term protection of wild-type Shaker protein from ER-associated degradation. Polypeptide substrate recognition by Calnexin requires specific conformations of the Calnexin protein. Calnexin dwindles with aging and might contribute to a cytoprotection in an array of human age-related diseases.