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Pleiotrophin (Osteoblast-Specific Factor-1, OSF-1) contains 136 amino acid residues. The sequence is very rich in cationic amino acids (24% of the residues); lysine cluster sequences are found in the N-terminal and C-terminal ends of the structure.
The OSF-1 gene was shown by Northern blotting analysis to be expressed in mouse calvarial osteoblast-enriched cells and in mouse brain tissues, but not in thymus, spleen, kidney, liver, lung, testis or heart. Pleiotrophin has the ability to promote adhesion, migration, expansion, and differentiation of human osteoprogenitor cells. In addition to certain types of cancer, the embryonic growth and differentiation factor pleiotrophin is found also in adults in inflammatory diseases. In osteoarthritis, pleiotrophin is especially expressed in early stages, and its concentrations in the synovial fluid could serve as a marker for the progress of the disease. Pleitrophin might be involved in cartilage repair in osteoarthritis, in particular, in earlier stages.

Homeobox protein SIX1 (SIX1) belongs to the SIX gene family. SIX1 is characterized by a divergent DNA-binding homeodomain and an upstream SIX domain, which is involved both in determining DNA-binding specificity and in mediating protein-protein interactions. SIX1 has a role in vertebrate and insect development or in the maintenance of the differentiated state of tissues.

Dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK3) belongs to the DKK protein family including Dkk-1, 2, 3 and -4. DKK3 is a 350 amino acid secreted glycoprotein which is comprised of an N-terminal signal peptide and 2 conserved cysteine-rich domains that are separated by a 12 amino acid linker region. DKK3 is involved in embryonic development through its inhibition of the WNT signaling pathway. DKK3 gene expression is decreased in a variety of cancer cell lines and it may act as a tumor suppressor gene.

GDF15 is part of the TGF-Beta superfamily that is involved in regulating inflammatory and apoptotic pathways in injured tissues and throughout disease processes. GDF15 is most abundant in the liver. Its expression in liver can be considerably up-regulated in during injury of organs such as liver, kidney, heart and lung. GDF-15 promotes proliferation or growth arrest and differentiation due to differences in cellular differentiation. GDF15 prevents apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons by activating Akt and inhibiting endogenously active ERK. GDF15 is a novel autocrine/endocrine factor that antagonizes the hypertrophic response and loss of ventricular performance.

Oncostatin M is a member of a cytokine family that includes leukemia-inhibitory factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin 6. This gene encodes a growth regulator which inhibits the proliferation of a number of tumor cell lines. It regulates cytokine production, including IL-6, G-CSF and GM-CSF from endothelial cells.

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.

Myeloid-derived growth factor (Mydgf) is a paracrine-acting protein and a bone marrow-derived monocyte which stimulates cardiac myocyte survival and adaptive angiogenesis for cardiac protection and repair after myocardial infarction. Mydgf induces endothelial cell proliferation through a MAPK1/3-, STAT3- and CCND1-mediated signaling lane. When comparing wild-type mice to mice with a Mydgf-deficiency, the later develop larger infarct scars and more acute contractile dysfunction.

VEGF-D belongs to the VEGF/PDGF family of proteins. VEGF-D promotes lymphangiogesis, endothelial cell growth, and regulates vascular permeability. In addition, VEGF-D has an important part in the creation of the venous and lymphatic vascular systems and in the growth and maintenance of differentiated lymphatic endothelium Mature VEGF-D forms a noncovalently linked homodimer, and binds to and activate both VEGFR-2 (flk1) and VEGFR-3 (flt4).

Plasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite, one of the species of Plasmodium that cause malaria. Malaria parasites are members of the Apicomplexa. Apicomplexa are characterized by a set of organelles found in some stages of the parasite's life cycle. These organelles, collectively known as apical organelles because of their localization at one end of the parasite, are involved in interactions between the parasite and host. In particular, the apical organelles have been implicated in the process of host cell invasion. In the case of Plasmodium, three distinct invasive forms have been identified: sporozoite, merozoite, and ookinete.

Thrombopoietin is a glycoprotein hormone produced mainly by the liver and the kidneyt hat regulates the production of platelets by the bone marrow. It stimulates the production and differentiation of megakaryocytes, the bone marrow cells that fragment into large numbers of platelets.

PLGF is a growth factor active in angiogenesis, and endothelial cell growth, stimulating their proliferation and migration. It binds to receptor vegfr-1/flt1.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone also known as AMH is a member of the TGF-beta family. AMH is a glycoprotein which is produced by the Sertoli cells of the testis, causes regression of the Muellerian duct. AMH inhibits the growth of tumors derived from tissues of Muellerian duct origin. Moreover, AMH participates in Leydig cell differentiation and function in addition to follicular development in adult females.

FAD-linked sulfhydryl oxidase ALR (GFER) is a member of the Erv1/ALR family of proteins, which is found in higher and lower eukaryotes. GFER is a hepatotrophic growth factor and flavin-linked sulfhydryl oxidase expressed in a variety of tissues. Moreover, GFER induces the expression of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxyl-ase and ornithine decarboxylases (ODC), which each have a central role in the synthesis of polyamines. The hepatotrophic factor designated augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) is assumed to be one of the factors responsible for the exceptional regenerative capacity of mammalian liver. The GFER gene is located on chromosome 16 in the interval containing the locus for polycystic kidney disease (PKD1).

Since April 2012, cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been identified in various countries. Coronaviruses are the cause of the common cold, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and other severe illnesses with high mortality rates, all are classified into coronavirus family. MERS-CoV is a new type of SARS found in the coronavirus family causing severe pneumonia with sudden and serious respiratory illness with high mortality rates as well. Since January 27th 2015, the WHO has reported 956 human cases, including 351 deaths. More cases of the new coronavirus strain are expected. Like in other coronaviruses, large surface spike glycoprotein is a central structural protein of this virus; it is located above the virion surface to bind and enter into the target cell. Spike protein has 2 domains- S1 and S2. The S1 domain is responsible for cellular tropism and interaction with target cell, while the S2 domain is responsible for membrane fusion. The C-terminal of S1 domain contains a receptor binding domain, and is also a potential target for vaccine development and an antigen for diagnosis.

Musashi RNA-Binding Protein 2 (MSI2), is RNA binding protein which owns 2 conserved tandem RNA recognition motifs. MSI2 takes part in proliferation and maintenance of stem cells in the central nervous system. Comparable proteins in other species function as RNA-binding proteins and take part in posttranscriptional gene regulation.

The MAP2K1 protein is encoded by the MAP2K1 gene. This enzyme serves as a MAP (mitogen activated protein) kinase, it is a part of the dual specificity protein kinase family. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases such as MAP kinases has an important role in assimilation of various biochemical signals. MAP2K1 is located upstream to the MAP kinases and activates them by multiple intra and extracellular signals. The enzyme serves as a key factor in the signal transduction pathway of MAP kinase, therefore it takes part in the cell development (transcription regulation, proliferation, differentiation etc.).

GMFG is a hematopoietic-specific protein that mediates the pluripotentiality and lineage commitment of human hematopoietic stem cells. Glia maturation factor gamma is a cytokine-responsive protein in EPO-induced and G-CSF-induced hematopoietic lineage development. Glia maturation factor also acts as a Nerve Growth Factor in nervous system development, angiogenesis and immune function. GMFG possesses hematopoietic tissue-specific gene expression, a promoter concentrated with high-score hematopoiesis-specific transcription factors, and molecular coevolution with a rudimentary blood/immune system.

PLAUR is one of 2 activators which convert the extracellular zymogen plasminogen to plasmin, a serine protease involved in a various normal and pathological processes that require cell migration and/or tissue destruction. PLAUR protein is synthesized and released from cells as a single-chain proenzyme with narrow enzymatic activity and is converted to an active two-chain disulfide-linked active enzyme by plasmin and other specific proteinases.

GDF-11 belongs to the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family and the TGF-beta superfamily. GDF-11 is a central developmental factor which controls muscular and neural development. In adults, GDF-11 encourages cardiac hypertrophy reverse by the revival of cardiomyocytes.

PRRX1 is part of the paired family of homeobox proteins. PRRX1 functions as a transcription co-activator, enhancing the DNA-binding activity of serum response factor, a protein required for the induction of genes by growth and differentiation factors. PRRX1 also regulates muscle creatine kinase, and therefore has a part in the establishment of diverse mesodermal muscle types. The protein binds to an A/T-rich element in the muscle creatine enhancer. Among the diseases associated with PRRX1 are agnathia-otocephaly complex, and pleomorphic liposarcoma.

CDNF is a member of the ARMET family and acts as a trophic factor for neurons. CDNF inhibits the (6-OHDA)-induced degeneration of neurons. When CDNF controlled after 6-OHDA-lesioning, it reestablishes the function and inhibits the degeneration of neurons in substantia nigra. CDNF is universally expressed in neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. The highest levels in the brain are found in the optic nerve and corpus callosum.

MECR catalyzes the reduction of trans-2-enoyl-CoA to acyl-CoA with chain length from C6 to C16 in an NADPH dependent manner with preference to medium chain length substrate. MECR protein takes part in the mitochondrial synthesis of fatty acids.

The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptors are a family of transmembrane serine/threonine kinases that include the type I receptors BMPR1A and BMPR1B and the type II receptor BMPR2. These receptors are also closely related to the receptors, ACVR1 and ACVR2. The ligands of these receptors are members of the TGF-beta superfamily. TGF-betas transduce their signals through the formation of heteromeric complexes with 2 different types of serine (threonine) kinase receptors: type I receptors of about 50-55 kD and type II receptors of about 70-80 kD. Type II receptors bind ligands in the absence of type I receptors, but they require their respective type I receptors for signaling, whereas type I receptors require their respective type II receptors for ligand binding.