Biomaterial Database

Structure and function of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chains. 2008

Lisheng Zhuo, and Koji Kimata

Institute for Molecular Science of Medicine, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.

Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor family proteins are mainly detected in plasma and urine and comprise the common light chain bikunin and at least 6 closely related heavy chains. The bikunin moiety exhibits protease inhibitory activity and has been studied extensively; however, the heavy chains have been largely overlooked. Recent studies clearly indicate that the heavy chain moieties have important biological functions either in association with or independent of bikunin. Because the heavy chains comprise the main part of the protein structure of this family, it is important to understand their functions. This review summarizes the domain structural features of heavy chains, the heavy chain-interacting molecules identified thus far, and the association of heavy chains with diseases to encourage the discovery of novel heavy chains-interacting molecules and to gain a deeper insight into their functions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010802	Phylogeny	The relationships of groups of organisms as reflected by their genetic makeup.	Community Phylogenetics,Molecular Phylogenetics,Phylogenetic Analyses,Phylogenetic Analysis,Phylogenetic Clustering,Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis,Phylogenetic Comparative Methods,Phylogenetic Distance,Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares,Phylogenetic Groups,Phylogenetic Incongruence,Phylogenetic Inference,Phylogenetic Networks,Phylogenetic Reconstruction,Phylogenetic Relatedness,Phylogenetic Relationships,Phylogenetic Signal,Phylogenetic Structure,Phylogenetic Tree,Phylogenetic Trees,Phylogenomics,Analyse, Phylogenetic,Analysis, Phylogenetic,Analysis, Phylogenetic Comparative,Clustering, Phylogenetic,Community Phylogenetic,Comparative Analysis, Phylogenetic,Comparative Method, Phylogenetic,Distance, Phylogenetic,Group, Phylogenetic,Incongruence, Phylogenetic,Inference, Phylogenetic,Method, Phylogenetic Comparative,Molecular Phylogenetic,Network, Phylogenetic,Phylogenetic Analyse,Phylogenetic Clusterings,Phylogenetic Comparative Analyses,Phylogenetic Comparative Method,Phylogenetic Distances,Phylogenetic Group,Phylogenetic Incongruences,Phylogenetic Inferences,Phylogenetic Network,Phylogenetic Reconstructions,Phylogenetic Relatednesses,Phylogenetic Relationship,Phylogenetic Signals,Phylogenetic Structures,Phylogenetic, Community,Phylogenetic, Molecular,Phylogenies,Phylogenomic,Reconstruction, Phylogenetic,Relatedness, Phylogenetic,Relationship, Phylogenetic,Signal, Phylogenetic,Structure, Phylogenetic,Tree, Phylogenetic
D005109	Extracellular Matrix	A meshwork-like substance found within the extracellular space and in association with the basement membrane of the cell surface. It promotes cellular proliferation and provides a supporting structure to which cells or cell lysates in culture dishes adhere.	Matrix, Extracellular,Extracellular Matrices,Matrices, Extracellular
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000510	Alpha-Globulins	Serum proteins that have the most rapid migration during ELECTROPHORESIS. This subgroup of globulins is divided into faster and slower alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-globulins.	Alpha-Globulin,Alpha Globulin,Alpha Globulins
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015842	Serine Proteinase Inhibitors	Exogenous or endogenous compounds which inhibit SERINE ENDOPEPTIDASES.	Serine Endopeptidase Inhibitor,Serine Endopeptidase Inhibitors,Serine Protease Inhibitor,Serine Protease Inhibitors,Serine Proteinase Antagonist,Serine Proteinase Antagonists,Serine Proteinase Inhibitor,Serine Proteinase Inhibitors, Endogenous,Serine Proteinase Inhibitors, Exogenous,Serine Protease Inhibitors, Endogenous,Serine Protease Inhibitors, Exogenous,Antagonist, Serine Proteinase,Endopeptidase Inhibitor, Serine,Inhibitor, Serine Endopeptidase,Inhibitor, Serine Protease,Inhibitor, Serine Proteinase,Protease Inhibitor, Serine,Proteinase Antagonist, Serine,Proteinase Inhibitor, Serine
D020033	Protein Isoforms	Different forms of a protein that may be produced from different GENES, or from the same gene by ALTERNATIVE SPLICING.	Isoform,Isoforms,Protein Isoform,Protein Splice Variant,Splice Variants, Protein,Protein Splice Variants,Isoform, Protein,Isoforms, Protein,Splice Variant, Protein,Variant, Protein Splice,Variants, Protein Splice