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Heparanase is an endo β-D-glucuronidase, which degrades heparan sulfate side chains of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in the extracellular matrix. Heparanase plays an important role in ECM degradation, facilitating the migration and extravasation of tumor cells and inflammatory leukocytes (1,2,3). Upon degradation, heparanase releases growth factors and cytokines that stimulate cell proliferation and chemotaxis (4,5). Heparanase is a heterodimer comprised of a 50 kDa subunit harboring the active site and a 8 kDa subunit. It is produced as a latent 65 kDa precursor and proteolytically processed to its active form (1,6). Heparanase is highly expressed in myeloid leukocytes (i.e. neutrophils) in platelets and in human placenta. Human heparanase was found to be upregulated in various types of primary tumors, correlating in some cases with increased tumor invasiveness and vascularity and with poor prospective survival (7,8).

Neurotrophic Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 2, also referred to NTRK2, is a tyrosine-protein kinase receptor which takes part in the development & the maturation of the central and the peripheral nervous systems through regulation of neuron survival, migration, proliferation, differentiation and synapse formation & plasticity. NTRK2 acts in learning and memory by regulating both short term synaptic function and long-term potentiation. The substrates that are known for the TRK family receptors are: SHC1, PI-3 kinase and PLC-gamma-1.

Decorin (DCN) is a small cellular or pericellular matrix proteoglycan which is closely related in structure to biglycan protein. Decorin is a secreted protein which binds to collagen and fibronectin in extracellular matrix. Decorin appears in different glycoforms, substituted with chondroitin sulfate or dermatan sulfate consistent with the original tissue. DCN contains one attached glycosaminoglycan chain. Decorin influences the rate of fibril formation. Decorin is capable of suppressing the growth of various tumor cell lines. DCN gene defects cause corneal dystrophy. The DCN gene is a candidate gene for Marfan syndrome.

Recombinant Human Sonic Hedgehog is part of a small group of secreted proteins that are vital for development in both vertebrates and invertebrates. 3 mammalian hedgehog genes (sonic, desert, Indian) share about 60% homology. The Human Sonic Hedgehog is 99% homologous to the mouse gene. Sonic HedgeHog is a protein that is vital in guding the early embryo. It has been associated as the major inductive signal in patterning of the ventral neural tube, the anterior-posterior limb axis, and the ventral somites. Sonic HedgeHog binds to the patched receptor, which functions in association with smoothened, to activate the transcription of target genes. In the absence of sonic HedgeHog, patched receptor represses the constitutive signaling activity of smoothened. Sonic HedgeHog also regulates another factor, the gli oncogene. Sonic HedgeHog intercellular signal is essential for a various patterning events during development: signal produced by the notochord that induces ventral cell fate in the neural tube and somites, and the polarizing signal for patterning of the anterior-posterior axis of the developing limb bud. Sonic HedgeHog exhibits both floor plate- and motor neuron-inducing activity. Mutations in a long-range Sonic HedgeHog enhancer located in an intron of the limb region 1 gene result in preaxial polydactyly.

Albumin is synthesized in the liver as preproalbumin which has an N-terminal peptide that is removed before the nascent protein is released from the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The product, proalbumin, is in turn cleaved in the Golgi vesicles to produce the secreted albumin. Albumin is a soluble, monomeric protein which comprises about one-half of the blood serum protein. Albumin functions primarily as a carrier protein for steroids, fatty acids, and thyroid hormones and plays a role in stabilizing extracellular fluid volume. Mutations in this gene on chromosome 4 result in various anomalous proteins. Albumin is a globular unglycosylated serum protein of molecular weight 65,000. The human albumin gene is 16,961 nucleotides long from the putative 'cap' site to the first poly (A) addition site. It is split into 15 exons which are symmetrically placed within the 3 domains that are thought to have arisen by triplication of a single primordial domain.
HSA is widely used to stabilize blood volume generally from donors but the fear of contamination such as HIV & Hepatitis has enticed great interest in the recombinant form which is identical to the natural blood.

SERPINB2 is an inhibitory serpin produced primarily in keratinocytes, stimulated monocytes, and placental trophoblasts. SERPINB2 is found primarily as a 47 kDa non-glycosylated intracellular protein that is induced to be secreted as 60 kDa glycoprotein. The glycosylated and unglycosylated SERPINB2 are similarly effective as inhibitors of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), the only proven physiological target of SERPINB2.

PDCD1 is a cell surface membrane protein of the immunoglobulin superfamily. PDCD1 is expressed in pro-B-cells and is thought to have a role in their differentiation. In mice, expression of PDCD1 gene is induced in the thymus when anti-CD3 antibodies are injected and large numbers of thymocytes undergo apoptosis. Mice deficient for the PDCD1 gene bred on a BALB/c background developed dilated cardiomyopathy and died from congestive heart failure. These studies suggest that the PDCD1 gene product may also be important in T cell function and contribute to the prevention of autoimmune diseases.

Lymphotoxin alpha, a member of the tumor necrosis factor family, is a cytokine produced by lymphocytes. LTA is highly inducible, secreted, and exists as homotrimeric molecule. LTA forms heterotrimers with lymphotoxin-beta which anchors lymphotoxin-alpha to the cell surface. LTA mediates a large variety of inflammatory, immunostimulatory, and antiviral responses. LTA is also involved in the formation of secondary lymphoid organs during development and plays a role in apoptosis.

BLNK is a cytoplasmic linker or adaptor protein which has a significant role in B cell development. B-cell linker (BLNK) is essential for normal B-cell development. BLNK bridges B cell receptor-associated kinase activation with downstream signaling pathways, thus affecting different biological functions. BLNK associates with the effector proteins GRB2, Vav, NCK and PLC-g following activation of the B cell receptor. BLNK is phosphorylated by the Syk tyrosine kinase, which in turn permits activation of downstream effector proteins including GRB2 and PLC-g. Mutations in the BLNK gene cause hypoglobulinemia and absent B cells, a disease in which the pro- to pre-B-cell transition is developmentally blocked. Deficiency in the BLNK protein is seen in some cases of pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

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.

TRAIL Receptor-1 (DR4) and TRAIL Receptor-2(DR5) are members of the TNFR superfamily of transmembrane proteins and contain a cytoplasmic "death domain", which is capable of activating the cell's apoptotic machinery. These receptors are activated by binding to either membrane anchored or soluble TRAIL/Apo2L.

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, with molecular weight of 13260 Da, is composed of 120 amino acids, lacks carbohydrate and has two disulfide bridges located near the carboxyl terminus. 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.

BCL2 gene encodes an integral outer mitochondrial membrane protein that blocks the apoptotic death of some cells such as lymphocytes. Constitutive expression of BCL2, such as in the case of translocation of BCL2 to Ig heavy chain locus, is thought to be the cause of follicular lymphoma. Two transcript variants, produced by alternate splicing, differ in their C-terminal ends.

Hemoglobin Subunit Zeta (Hbz) or Hba-x is a alpha-like hemoglobin and part of the globin family. The protein is expressed and produced in the the yolk sac in early stages of embryonic development. Hemoglobin subunit zeta has 2 pseudogenes and 5 functional genes.

Sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 6 isoform 1 (SIGLEC6) is a member of immunoglobulin superfamily and SIGLEC (sialic acid binding Ig-like lectin) family. SIGLEC6 mediates sialic-acid dependent binding to cells and binds to alpha-2, 6-linked sialic acid. The SIGLEC6 protein localizes in numerous compartments such as membrane fraction, extracellular region and so on. The SIGLEC6 receptor binds sialyl-TN glycans and leptin. Placental expression SIGLEC6 is upregulated in preeclampsia.

TIMP2 belongs to the TIMP gene family. The proteins encoded by this gene family are natural inhibitors of the matrix metalloproteinases, a group of peptidases that take part in degradation of the extracellular matrix. Besides having an inhibitory role against metalloproteinases, the encoded protein has a exclusive part among TIMP family members in its capability to directly suppress the proliferation of endothelial cells. Consequently, the encoded protein is crucial to the conservation of tissue homeostasis by suppressing the production of quiescent tissues as an answer to angiogenic factors, and by inhibiting protease activity in tissues undergoing renovation of the extracellular matrix.

Resistin, also known as adipose tissue-specific secretory factor (ADSF) is a cysteine-rich peptide derived from adipose tissue. Resistin takes part in the inflammatory response, glucose metabolism, and angiogenesis.Resistin blocks insulinstimulated uptake of glucose by adipocytes and promote glucose release by hepatocytes. As such,Resistin considered to participate in diet‑induced insulin-sensitivity. Resistin causes high levels of lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL), increasing the risk of heart disease.

Endophilin-B1 (SH3GLB1) is a part of the endophilin family and highly expresses in heart, skeletal muscle, kidney and placenta. Endophilin B1 belongs to the B subgroup of the endophilin family which is needed for preservation of mitochondrial morphology and for the regulation of the outer mitochondrial membrane dynamics. SH3GLB1 is required for normal outer mitochondrial membrane dynamics. Furthermore, SH3GLB1 is required for coatomer-mediated retrograde transport in certain cells. SH3GLB1 interacts with SH3GLB2 and Bcl-2-associated X protein and involved in regulating apoptotic signaling pathways.

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.

KLRC2 has a part as a receptor for the recognition of MHC class I HLA-E molecules by NK cells and some cytotoxic T-cells. The group, designated KLRC (NKG2) are expressed mainly in natural killer (NK) cells and encodes a family of transmembrane proteins categorized by a type II membrane orientation (extracellular C terminus) and the presence of a C-type lectin domain. The KLRC (NKG2) gene family is situated inside the NK complex, a region which holds a few C-type lectin genes specially expressed on NK cells. KLRC2 alternative splice variants are known but their full-length nature is yet to be determined.

UBE2K belongs to the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes family which take part in many cellular processes such as selective protein degradation, DNA repair, cell cycle control, and sporulation. In this mechanism, the ATP-coupled activation and subsequent ligation of ubiquitin are catalyzed by separate enzymes functionally linked by ubiquitin carrier protein UBC1. In addition, UBE2K is involved in Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and antigen processing through its interaction with amyloid-?, huntingtin, and MHC-heavy chain proteins.

MAP1LC3A takes part in formation of autophagosomal vacuoles and is one of the light chain subunits that functions together with both MAP1A and/or MAP1B. MAP1LC3A has an important part in neuronal development and in maintaining the balance between neuronal plasticity and rigidity. MAP1LC3A is expressed as two alternatively spliced isoforms that are expressed in testis, brain, heart, liver and skeletal muscle, but are absent in thymus and peripheral blood leukocytes.