Recombinant Human LECT2, Tag Free

LECT2 (leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2), also known as Chondromodulin-II, is a neutrophil chemotactic protein predominantly expressed in the liver ^[1]. It was first identified in the heparin-binding components extracted from fetal bovine epiphyseal cartilage ^[2]. Human LECT2 cDNA encodes a 151 amino acid (aa) precursor that includes an 18 aa signal sequence ^[3]. The mature human LECT2 is a 16 kDa secreted hepatic protein that has a putative peptidase-M23 domain ^{[3, 4]}. Human LECT2 shares 87% and 86% aa sequence identity with mouse and rat LECT2, respectively. LECT2 stimulates the growth and matrix formation of chondrocytes in vitro ^{[2, 5, 6]}. In MC3T3-E1 cells, it promotes proliferation but inhibits alkaline phosphatase activity ^{[5, 6]}. In vivo study suggested LECT2 can directly suppress the development of type II collagen antibody–induced arthritis ^[4]. Recent studies have shown that LECT2 is an important regulator of tumor growth during hepatocellular carcinoma development and progression; it inhibits the angiogenic effect of HUVECs in vitro and in vivo ^[7].

Reference

[1]. Yamagoe, S. et al. (1996) Immunol. Lett. 52:9.

[2]. Hiraki, Y. et al. (1996) J. Bio. Chem. 271:22657.

[3]. Slowik, V. and U. Apte (2017) Clin. Transl. Sci. 10:249.

[4]. Okumura, A. et al. (2013) FEBS Lett. 587:404.

[5]. Mori, Y. et al. (1997) FEBS Letters 406:310.

[6]. Shukunami, C. et al. (1999) J. Biochem. 125:436.

[7]. Chen, C.K. et al. (2016) Sci. Rep. 6:31398.