Gc protein (vitamin D-binding protein): Gc genotyping and GcMAF precursor activity.
The Gc protein (human group-specific component (Gc), a vitamin D-binding protein or Gc globulin), has important physiological functions that include involvement in vitamin D transport and storage, scavenging of extracellular G-actin, enhancement of the chemotactic activity of C5a for neutrophils in inflammation and macrophage activation (mediated by a GalNAc-modified Gc protein (GcMAF)). In this review, the structure and function of the Gc protein is focused on especially with regard to Gc genotyping and GcMAF precursor activity. A discussion of the research strategy "GcMAF as a target for drug discovery" is included, based on our own research.
Nagasawa
Hideko
H
Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, Minamijosanjimacho-2, Tokushima 770-8506 Japan.
Uto
Yoshihiro
Y
Sasaki
Hideyuki
H
Okamura
Natsuko
N
Murakami
Aya
A
Kubo
Shinichi
S
Kirk
Kenneth L
KL
Hori
Hitoshi
H
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015195:Drug Design; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors; D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein; C101908:vitamin D-binding protein-macrophage activating factor