Search results

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the major etiologic agent of enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis worldwide, is a spherical, non-enveloped, single stranded RNA virus that is approximately 32 to 34 nm in diameter. HEV belongs to a genus of HEV-like viruses (unassigned genus). HEV has a single-stranded polyadenylated RNA genome of approximately 8 kb. Based on its physicochemical properties it is presumed to be a calici-like virus.

Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 isoform 1 or AKR1C3 is an enzyme, part of the aldo-keto reductase family that promotes conversion of ketones & aldehydes to the alcohol forms while using cofactors such as NADPH & NADH. AKR1C3 promotes the reduction of PG molecule (prostaglandin), PQ (phenanthrenequinone) & PGH2. Another role is oxidation of 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2 to PGD2. AKR1C3 holds a crucial part in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases like asthma and can also take part in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation.

This gene is a member of the EPO/TPO family and encodes a secreted, glycosylated cytokine composed of four alpha helical bundles. The protein is found in the plasma and regulates red cell production by promoting erythroid differentiation and initiating hemoglobin synthesis. This protein also has neuroprotective activity against a variety of potential brain injuries and antiapoptotic functions in several tissue types.

CD21 is expressed strongly on mature B cells, follicular dentritic cells and weakly on immature thymocytes and T lymphocytes. In B-cell ontogeny, CD21 appears after the pre-B-stage, is maintained during peripheral B-cell development and is lost upon terminal differentiation into plasma cells. CD21 expression is also gradually lost after stimulation of B cells in vitro. CD21 functions as receptor for C3d, C3dg and iC3b Complement components, for EBV and for IFNalpha. CD21 binds to CD23 and associates with CD19, CD81 and Leu13 to form a large signal-transduction complex involved in B cell activation.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a glycoprotein present in fetal digestive-tract tissues; it’s involved in cell adhesion. The production of CEA stops before birth. CEA is called tumor marker since its elevated levels are found in the serum from individuals with colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, lung and breast carcinomas and in heavy smokers.
There are also benign conditions that elevate CEA levels such as smoking, infection, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and some benign tumors (in the equivalent organs which have cancers with elevated CEA). Typically, higher levels of CEA are found in men, smokers, and older individuals.
The presence of CEA assists in screening, in evaluating recurrent or disseminated disease, and in determining the success of surgical removal of malignant tumors.
CEA levels can be used as indicators of treatment success. The normal values range from 0.0 to 2.5 ng/ml of serum (from blood), in non-smokers, a greater amount than that may be suggestive of cancer. Levels above 20 ng/ml before treatment are associated with cancer which has already metastasized. Benign conditions do not usually cause a CEA increase over 10 ng/ml.
The high levels of CEA should return to normal after successful therapy, however if during follow up there’s an elevation in CEA levels it indicates a recurrence of tumor.
Carcinoembryonic antigen family belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily; it consists of 29 genes, 18 of which are normally expressed.

Ectonucleoside Triphosphate Diphosphohydrolase 6 or ENTPD6 is an enzyme, akin to E-type nucleotidases. E-type nucleotidases, for instance CD39, are responsible for extracellular nucleotides catabolism. ENTPD6 has four apyrase-conserved areas like all to E-type nucleotidases. Rather spliced transcript agents that codes various isoforms were discovered for the DNA segment.

TARC cDNA encodes a 94 amino acid precursor protein with a 23 amino acid residue signal peptide that is cleaved off to generate the 71 amino acid residue mature secreted protein. Along with CC chemokine family members, CCL-17 has approximately 24-29% amino acid sequence identity with RANTES, MIP-1a, MIP-1b, MCP-1, MCP-2, MCP-3 and I-309. TARC is expressed in thymus, and at a lower level in the lung, colon, and small intestine. TARC is in addition transiently expressed in stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Recombinant TARC has been shown to be chemotactic for T cell lines but not monocytes or neutrophils. CCL-17 was recently identified to be a specific functional ligand for CCR4, a receptor that is selectively expressed on T cells. CCL17 is one of quite a few Cys-Cys (CC) cytokine genes clustered on the q arm of chromosome 16. CCL17 shows chemotactic activity for T lymphocytes, but not monocytes or granulocytes. CCL17 binds to chemokine receptors CCR4 and CCR8. This chemokine plays important roles in T cell development in thymus as well as in trafficking and activation of mature T cells.

Chemokine (C motif) ligand (XCL1) is a small cytokine belonging to the XC chemokine family that is also known as lymphotactin. It is found in high levels in spleen, thymus, intestine and peripheral blood leukocytes, and at lower levels in lung, prostate gland and ovary. Cellular sources for XCL1 include activated thymic and peripheral blood CD8+ T cells. This chemokine attracts T cells. In humans, XCL1 is closely related to another chemokine called XCL2, whose geneis found at the same locus on chromosome 1. XCL1 induces it chemotactic function by binding to a chemokine receptor called XCR1.

Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C1 or AKR1C1 is an enzyme, part of the aldo/keto reductase family that holds over 40 familiar proteins. AKR1C1 promotes the conversion of ketones & aldehydes to their alcohol forms by using cofactors such as NADH & NADPH. AKR1C1 promotes the progesterone reduction to its inactive molecule form 20-alpha-hydroxy-progesterone.

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.

DCXR catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of numerous pentoses, tetroses, trioses, alpha-dicarbonyl molecules and L-xylulose. DCXR takes part in the uronate cycle of glucose metabolism. DCXR participates in the water absorption and cellular osmoregulation in the proximal renal tubules by producing xylitol, an osmolyte, thus preventing osmolytic stress from occurring in the renal tubules.

Myosin Binding Protein C, Cardiac (MYBPC3) is the cardiac isoform of myosin-binding protein C expressed exclusively in heart muscle. Myosin-binding protein C is a myosin-associated protein found in the cross-bridge-bearing zone (C region) of A bands in striated muscle. Regulatory phosphorylation of the cardiac isoform in vivo by cAMP-dependent protein kinase upon adrenergic stimulation may be associated with modulation of cardiac contraction. MYBPC3 gene mutations are one of the causes of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In vitro MYBPC3 binds MHC, F-actin and native thin filaments, and modifies the activity of actin-activated myosin ATPase. MYBPC3 may modulate muscle contraction or it may have a more structural role.

ETS homologous factor (EHF) is a part of the ESE subfamily of Ets transcription factors. Ets factors are an important kind of transcriptional regulators which take part in hema-topoiesis, angiogenesis, organogenesis, oncogenesis and specification of neuronal connectivity. EHF is expressed solely in a subset of epithelial cells, with highest expression noticed in glandular epithelium of the prostate, pancreas, salivary gland and trachea. EHF transactivates the c-Met promoter via 3 high affinity binding sites, which support the notion that EHF contribute to branching morphogenesis.

EIF1AY is comparable to eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1A (EIF1A). EIF1AY protein is essential for highest rate of protein biosynthesis. EIF1AY increases ribosome dissociation into subunits and is obligatory for the binding of the 43S complex (a 40S subunit, eIF2/GTP/Met-tRNAi and eIF3) to the 5' end of capped RNA.

PPP1CC is vital for cell division and takes part in the regulation of protein synthesis, muscle contractility and glycogen metabolism. Additionally, PPP1CC has a role in long-term synaptic plasticity and regulation of ionic conductance, and has a significant role in dephosphorylating substrates such as the postsynaptic density-associated Ca2+/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II.

Reticulocalbin-2 (RCN2) is a member of the CREC protein family. RCN2 is a calcium-binding protein found in the lumen of the ER. RCN2 contains 6 conserved regions with similarity to a high affinity Ca(+2)-binding motif, the EF-hand.

Secreted Protein Acidic & Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) protein is coded by the SPARC gene in humans. SPARC is a glycoprotein located in bones that binds to calcium. SPARC is produced by fibroblasts, capillary endothelial cells, platelets and macrophages, mainly in areas of tissue morphogenesis and remodelling. Asides from calcium, SPARC can also bind to collagen.

EIF5A is the single protein identified to contain remarkable amino acid formed by the action of deoxyhypusine synthase and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase using spermidine as the substrate. EIF5A takes part in the first step of peptide bond formation in translation, nevertheless further experiments implicates it as a universally conserved translation elongation factor. Modulation of EIF5A is connected to proliferation and cancer. Expression of EIF-5A is upregulated in the PBMCs of HIV-1 patients. EIF5A coordinates significant cellular processes like cell viability and senescence during its effects on the stability of certain mRNAs. Heat stress-induced loss of EIF-5A in a human pancreatic cancer cell line. EIF5A stability takes part in determining the fate of the particular cell type after severe heat stress.

ELAV Like Neuron-Specific RNA Binding Protein 2, also known as ELAVL2 is a neural-specific RNA-binding protein which is recognized with his ability to bind to several 3' UTRs, as well as its own and in addition those of FOS and ID. ELAVL2 identify a GAAA motif in the RNA. One of the diseases associated with ELAVL2 is contagious pustular dermatitis.

EMG1 is a 244 aa protein which has a role in ribosome biogenesis. EMG1 is a key protein in the small ribosomal subunit assembly, controls methylation during ribosome synthesis and takes part in pre-18S rRNA processing. EMG1 is localized to the nucleolus and a mutation in this gene is linked with Bowen-Conradi syndrome.

V-Ets Avian Erythroblastosis Virus E26 Oncogene 2 (ETS2) is a transcription factor that regulates genes involved in development and apoptosis. ETS2 is also a protooncogene which takes part in regulation of telomerase. ETS2 protein’s pseudogene is located on the X chromosome.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen-Related Cell Adhesion Molecule 21 (CEACAM21) belongs to the family of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs), which are used by a number of bacterial pathogens to bind and invade host cells. The transmembrane protein guides phagocytosis of several bacterial species which is dependent on the small GTPase Rac. CEACAM21 is assumed to have a central role in controlling human-specific pathogens by the innate immune system.

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein(C/EBP) a is a family of transcription factors that all contain a highly conserved, basic-leucine zipper domain at the C-terminus that is involved in dimerization and DNA binding. C/EBP family of transcription factors regulates viral and cellular CCAAT/enhancer element-mediated transcription. C/EBP family consist of several related proteins, C/EBP a,b,g,d, that form homodimers and that form heterodimers with each other. C/EBP proteins contain the bZIP region, which is characterized by two motifs in the C-terminal half of the protein; a basic region involved in DNA binding and a leucine zipper motif involved in dimerization. C/EBPs differ significantly in their physiological functions and in their downstream target genes. For example, mice lacking C/EBPa die shortly after birth due to severe hypoglycemia and the absence of glycogen storage in liver, whereas knockout of C/EBPb causes defects in female reproduction.

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein(C/EBP) g is a family of transcription factors all contain a highly conserved, basic-leucine zipper domain at the C-terminus that is involved in dimerization and DNA binding. C/EBP family of transcription factors regulates viral and cellular CCAAT/enhancer element-mediated transcription. C/EBP family consist of several related proteins, C/EBP a,b,g,d, that form homodimers and/or form heterodimers with each other. C/EBP proteins contain the bZIP region, which is characterized by two motifs in the C-terminal half of the protein; a basic region involved in DNA binding and a leucine zipper motif involved in dimerization. C/EBP g may cooperate with Fos to bind PRE- enhancer elements.