title: A second protein marker of caveolae: caveolin-2.
abstract: Caveolin-2, a protein about 20 kD, is a major component of the inner surface of caveolae, small invaginations of the plasma membrane. Similar with caveolin-1 and caveolin-3, it serves as a protein marker of caveolae. Caveolin-1 and -2 are located next to each other at 7q31.1 on human chromosome, the proteins encoded are co-localized and form a stable hetero-oligomeric complex, distributing similarly in tissue and cultured cells. Caveolin-3 is located on different chromosomes but confirmed to interact with caveolin-2. Caveolin-2 is similar to caveolin-1 in many respects but differs from the latter in functional domains, especially in G-protein binding domain and caveolin scaffolding domain. The mRNAs of both caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 are most abundantly expressed in white adipose tissue and are induced during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells to adipocytes. Caveolin-2-deficient mice demonstrate clear pulmonary defects, with little or no change in caveolin-1 expression and caveolae formation, suggesting that caveolin-2 plays a selective role in lung functions. Caveolin-2 is also involved in lipid metabolism and human cancers.
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China.
authors.forename: Liu-luan
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yong-sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Fu-de
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D021941:Caveolae / Q000378:metabolism*; D051243:Caveolin 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D051243:Caveolin 2