Search results

Complement Factor D (Adipsin), which belongs to the trypsin family of peptidases, is involved in the alternative complement pathway of the complement system where it cleaves factor B. In the alternative complement pathway, Adipsin is best known for its role in humoral suppression of infectious agents. In addition, Adipsin is a serine protease which is secreted by adipocytes into the bloodstream. Ultimately, Adipsin has a high level of expression in fat, proposing a role for adipose tissue in immune system biology.

Serpin Peptidase Inhibitor, Clade B Member 8 (SERPINB8) belongs to the ov-serpin subfamily, which, compared with the archetypal serpin PI1, is characterized by a high degree of homology to chicken ovalbumin, absence of N- and C-terminal extensions, lack of a signal peptide, and a serine instead of an asparagine residue at the penultimate position. The superfamily of high molecular weight serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins) control various intracellular and extracellular processes such as complement activation, fibrinolysis, coagulation, cellular differentiation, tumor suppression, apoptosis, and cell migration.

DHH is part of the Hedgehog family which encodes signaling molecules that are involved in regulating morphogenesis. DHH protein is a precursor that is autocatalytically cleaved, the N-terminal portion is soluble and contains the signalling activity while the C-terminal portion is involved in precursor processing. Additionally, the C-terminal product covalently attaches a cholesterol moiety to the N-terminal product, restricting the N-terminal product to the cell surface and preventing it from freely diffusing throughout the organism. Defects in DHH protein have been associated with partial gonadal dysgenesis (PGD) accompanied by minifascicular polyneuropathy. DHH plays a role both male gonadal differentiation and perineurial development.
DHH plays a role in intercellular signaling which is essential for a variety of patterning events during development. DHH functions as a spermatocyte survival factor in the testes & is essential for testes development.

Apolipoprotein H (APOH) attaches to numerous kinds of negatively charged substances for instance phospholipids, and dextran sulfate. APOH prevents activation of the intrinsic blood coagulation cascade by attaching to phospholipids on the surface of damaged cells. APOH expressed by the liver and secreted in the plasma.

Ephrin A5 (EFNA5) is a part of the ephrin ligand family which binds the members of ephrin receptor subfamily of tyrosine kinases and stimulates contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. EFNA5 is mainly expressed in human adult brain, heart, spleen, and ovary and human fetal brain, lung, and kidney.

SNTN is a member of to the S-100 family. SNTN is localized solely to the bridging structure between the cell membrane and peripheral singlet microtubules that specifically exists in the narrowed distal portion of cilia. Exogenously expressed sentan displayed affinity for the membrane protrusions, and a protein-lipid binding assay discovered that sentan bounds to phosphatidylserine which indicate that sentan is the leading molecular component of the ciliary tip to link the cell membrane and peripheral singlet microtubules, making the distal portion of the cilia narrow and stiff to permit better airway approval or ovum transport.

Epiregulin is part of the EGF family. Epiregulin functions as a ligand of EGFR, as well as a ligand of most members of the ERBB (v-erb-b2 oncogene homolog) family of tyrosine-kinase receptors.Epiregulin is expressed mostly in the placenta and peripheral blood leukocytes and in specific carcinomas of the bladder, lung, kidney and colon. Epiregulin stimulates the proliferation of keratinocytes, hepatocytes, fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells. Epiregulin inhibits the growth of several tumor-derived epithelial cell lines. Human Epiregulin is initially synthesized as a glycosylated 19.0 kDa transmembrane precursor protein, which is processed by proteolytic cleavage to produce a 6.0 kDa mature secreted sequence.

Suppressor of fused homolog (SUFU) is a member of the SUFU family. SUFU is a negative regulator of the hedgehog signaling pathway. SUFU interacts with GLI1, GLI3 and PEX26. Defects in the SUFU gene are a cause of medulloblastoma.

Paralemmin (PALM) belongs to the paralemmin protein family which takes part in plasma membrane dynamics and cell process formation. The product of PALM is related with the cytoplasmic face of plasma membranes and is implicated in plasma membrane dynamics in neurons and other cell types.

B-Raf Proto-Oncogene, also known as BRAF is a member of the raf/mil family of serine/threonine protein kinases. BRAF participates in regulating the MAP kinase/ERKs signaling pathway, which eventually have an effect on cell division, differentiation, and secretion. Mutations in BRAF have been associated with cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, which is a disease characterized by heart defects, mental retardation and a distinctive facial appearance. In addition, mutations in BRAF have also been associated with different cancers, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, colorectal cancer, malignant melanoma, thyroid carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, as well as adenocarcinoma of lung.

VAMP8 also called endobrevin, is the main component of a SNARE complex involved in the docking and fusion of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic membrane. VAMP8 protein is involved in the regulatation of enzyme secretion in pancreatic acinar cells and plays a part in the abscission of the midbody during cell division, which leads to completely separate daughter cells. VAMP8 is essential for dense-granule secretion in platelets. VAMP8 is related with the perinuclear vesicular structures of the early endocytic compartment. VAMP8 interacts particularly with the soluble NSF-attachment protein (alpha-SNAP), through an VAMP8-containing SNARE complex.

DCTN2 is a 50kDa subunit of dynactin, which is a macromolecular complex consisting of 10-11 subunits ranging in size from 22 to 150 kDa. Dynactin binds to both microtubules and cytoplasmic dynein. Dynactin is involved in a various cellular functions, including ER-to-Golgi transport, the centripetal movement of lysosomes and endosomes, spindle formation, chromosome movement, nuclear positioning, and axonogenesis. The DCTN2 subunit is present in 4-5 copies per dynactin molecule. DCTN2 is comprised of 3 short alpha-helical coiled-coil domains which mediate association with self or other dynactin subunits. DCTN2 interacts directly with the largest subunit (p150) of dynactin and is able to affix p150 in place. DCTN2 modulates cytoplasmic dynein binding to an organelle, and plays a part in prometaphase chromosome alignment and spindle organization during mitosis. DCTN2 is involved in anchoring microtubules to centrosomes. DCTN2 has a role in synapse formation during brain development.

Serpin Peptidase Inhibitor, Clade C Member 1 (SERPINC1), which is a part of the serpin superfamily, is a plasma protease inhibitor. SERPINC1 inhibits thrombin and other activated serine proteases of the coagulation system, and regulates the blood coagulation cascade. SERPINC1 also inhibits Thrombin and Factors IXa, Xa and XIa. Deficiencies in SERPINC1 can cause ATIII deficiency, an autosomal dominant disease which might lead to a hereditary thrombophilia.

NECTIN3, also known as Nectin Cell Adhesion Molecule 3, is part of the nectin family. NECTIN3 is intended to initiate cell-cell adhesion to stimulate cell attachment and to allow subsequent formation of JAM-and cadherin-based intercellular junctions. NECTIN3 induces endocytosis-mediated down-regulation of PVR from the cell surface, which results in reduction of cell movement & proliferation. Following Nectin-3 activity adds strength to the junction through trans-interaction with various molecules.

CAMP belongs to the antimicrobial peptide family, contains highly conserved N-terminal signal peptide, a cathelin domain and a structurally variable cationic antimicrobial peptide that produced by extracellular proteolysis from the C-terminus. CAMP has numerous functions besides the antimicrobial activity such as: cell chemotaxis, immune mediator induction and inflammatory response regulation.

PRKCI, AKAPKC iota, is part of serine/threonine protein kinases family. It takes a key regulatory role in a number of cellular functions including hormone secretion,cell growth differentiation, and gene expression. It is involved in cell polarization processes and the formation of epithelial tight junctions.This protein kinase is calcium-independent and phospholipid-dependent. It is also implicated in the activation of several signal-pathways such as Ras, and NF-kappa-B, c-Src pathways.

The protein encoded by this gene is a cytokine that acts as a growth and differentiation factor for both B cells and eosinophils. This cytokine is a main regulator of eosinopoiesis, eosinophil maturation and activation. The elevated production of this cytokine is reported to be related to asthma or hypereosinophilic syndromes. The receptor of this cytokine is a heterodimer, whose beta subunit is shared with the receptors for interleukine 3 (IL3) and colony stimulating factor 2 (CSF2/GM-CSF). This gene, together with those for interleukin 4 (IL4), interleukin 13 (IL13), and CSF2, form a cytokine gene cluster on chromosome 5. This cytokine, IL4, and IL13 are found to be regulated coordinately by long-range regulatory elements spread over 120 kilobases on chromosome 5q31.

EPGN is an EGF-related polypeptide growth factor that signals through the ErbB receptor-1. EPGN is produced in numerous tissues, including the testis, liver, heart and in certain tumor cells. EPGN is mitogenic for fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Human EPGN is originally synthesized as a glycosylated 14.7 kDa transmembrane precursor protein, which is processed by proteolytic cleavage to produce a mature soluble sequence.

PEDF is a neurotrophic protein that induces extensive neuronal differentiation in retinoblastoma cells. SerpinF1 is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis. EPC1 doesn’t undergo the stressed to relaxed conformation transition characteristic as of the active serpins since it exhibits no serine protease inhibitory activity.
Aqueous humour level of asymmetric dimethylarginine is correlated with PEDF in humans. ADMA and PEDF levels are increased in response to inflammation in uveitis.
Lack of PEDF expression is a potent factor for the enhancement of tumor growth and angiogenesis in breast cancer.
PEDF & VEGF genes contribute to the development of diabetic retinopathy.
PEDF and VEGF structural changes in blood vessel wall play an important role in the pathophysiology of PD patients.
PEDF-overexpressing tumors exhibited reduced intratumoral angiogenesis.
SerpinF1 is a new promising approach for the treatment of osteosarcoma.
Levels of the natural ocular anti-angiogenic factor SentrinF1 (PEDF) is associated with proliferative retinopathy.
VEGF secreted by retinal pigment epithelial cells upregulates PEDF expression via VEGFR-1 in an autocrine manner.
Sentrin-F1 concentration in the aqueous humor of diabetic patients predicts who will develop progression of retinopathy.
PEDF blocks angiogenic effects of leptin through its anti-oxidative properties.

p59-Fyn is a member of the protein-tyrosine kinase oncogene family. p59fyn is a membrane-associated non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase that belongs to the Src-family of kinases. p59-Fyn encodes a membrane-associated tyrosine kinase which is implicated in the control of cell growth. p59-Fyn associates with the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and interacts with the fyn-binding protein. The unique N-terminal domain of p59fyn interacts with the CD3 and eta chains of the TcR. p59fyn can bind other proteins (p82 and p116) through its SH2 and SH3 domains, which may act as substrates or regulators of fyn activity. p59fyn is highly expressed in brain suggesting that it may have a role in the sensory nervous network and in myelination at early stages of CNS formation. Distinct isoforms exist due to alternative splicing.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a chemokine produced by macrophages and other cell types such as epithelial cells. IL8 is also synthesized by endothelial cells, which store IL-8 in their storage vesicles, the Weibel-Palade bodies.When first encountering an antigen, the primary cells to encounter it are the macrophages who phagocytose the particle. Upon processing, they release chemokines to signal other immune cells to come in to the site of inflammation. IL-8 is one such chemokine. It serves as a chemical signal that attracts neutrophils at the site of inflammation, and therefore is also known as Neutrophil Chemotactic Factor.

Plasma protease C1 inhibitor (SERPING1) is a part of the serpin superfamily of serine protease inhibitors. SERPING1 plays an important role in regulating activation of both the complement and contact systems. SERPING1 is also activating C1 by coupling with the active catalytic site at the light chains of C1r and C1s. SERPING1 insufficiency results in hereditary angioedema, which is characterized by recurrent episodes of localized angioedema of the skin, gastrointestinal mucosa or upper respiratory mucosa.

SEMA3C, also known as Semaphorin 3C, is a member of the semaphorin family 3 that are grouped into 8 major classes based on phylogenetic tree analyses and structure. Class 3 have an important function after traumatic central nervous system injuries. SEMA3C regulates neuronal and non-neuronal cells associated with the traumatic injury due to their presence in the scar tissue. SEMA3C is expressed in all somatic motor neurons, in cardiac neural crest cells during development and in lung buds. The SEMA3C functions are mediated through binding to the Plexin-D1 and Neuropilin 1 or Neuropilin 2 coreceptor complex. SEMA3C activates integrins in certain cells, so besides its repulsive activities, it also acts as a chemoattractant.

Nephroblastoma Overexpressed (NOV) which is encoded by the NOV gene is a part of the CCN (CTGF/CYR61/NOV) family. NOV takes part in reducing tumorgenicity and proliferation of certain cancer cell lines. NOV interacts with numerous proteins and is involved in both internal and external cell signaling. NOV is expressed in particular tumors, including Wilm’s tumor and most nephroblastomas and is also exerts proangiogenic activities.