Gremlin-1 (GREM1) Antibody – Rabbit Polyclonal

This gene encodes a member of the BMP (bone morphogenic protein) antagonist family. Like BMPs, BMP antagonists contain cystine knots and typically form homo- and heterodimers. The CAN (cerberus and dan) subfamily of BMP antagonists, to which this gene belongs, is characterized by a C-terminal cystine knot with an eight-membered ring. The antagonistic effect of the secreted glycosylated protein encoded by this gene is likely due to its direct binding to BMP proteins. As an antagonist of BMP, this gene may play a role in regulating organogenesis, body patterning, and tissue differentiation. In mouse, this protein has been shown to relay the sonic hedgehog (SHH) signal from the polarizing region to the apical ectodermal ridge during limb bud outgrowth. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2010]

Function: Cytokine that may play an important role during carcinogenesis and metanephric kidney organogenesis, as a BMP antagonist required for early limb outgrowth and patterning in maintaining the FGF4-SHH feedback loop. Down-regulates the BMP4 signaling in a dose-dependent manner. Acts as inhibitor of monocyte chemotaxis

By similarity. Ref.3

Subunit structure: Interacts with SLIT1 and SLIT2 in a glycosylation-dependent manner

By similarity.

Subcellular location: Secreted

Probable.

Tissue specificity: Highly expressed in small intestine, fetal brain and colon. Expression is restricted to intestinal subepithelial myofibroblasts (ISEMFs) at the crypt base. In subjects with HMPS1, by contrast, GREM1 is expressed, not only in basal ISEMFs, but also at very high levels in epithelial cells (predominantly colonocytes), with expression extending most of the way up the sides of the crypt. Weakly expressed in brain, ovary, prostate, pancreas and skeletal muscle. In brain found in the region localized around the internal capsule in the large subcortical nuclei, including caudate, putamen, substantia nigra, thalamus and subthalamus. Predominantly expressed in normal cells including neurons, astrocytes and fibroblasts. Ref.3 Ref.9

Induction: By high glucose through TGFB1-mediated pathways in mesangial cell. Down-regulated in tumor cell lines. Ref.2 Ref.3

Involvement in disease: Polyposis syndrome, mixed hereditary 1 (HMPS1) [MIM:601228]: A disease characterized by apparent autosomal dominant inheritance of multiple types of colorectal polyp, with colorectal carcinoma occurring in a high proportion of affected individuals. Patients can develop polyps of multiple and mixed morphologies, including serrated lesions, Peutz-Jeghers polyps, juvenile polyps, conventional adenomas and colorectal carcinoma in the absence of any identifiable extra-colonic features.Note: The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry. HMPS1 is caused by a duplication spanning the 3' end of the SCG5 gene and a region upstream of the GREM1 locus. This duplication is associated with increased allele-specific GREM1 expression that may cause reduced bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway activity. This mechanism also underlies tumorigenesis in juvenile polyposis of the large bowel (Ref.9). Ref.9

Sequence similarities: Belongs to the DAN family.Contains 1 CTCK (C-terminal cystine knot-like) domain.