Romanian Medical Journal (Sep 2019)

CORELATION BETWEEN CHITINASE-3-LIKE PROTEIN 1 AND CHRONIC PULMONARY DISEASE

  • Romana Olivia Popeţiu,
  • Silviu Daniel Moldovan,
  • Simona Maria Borta,
  • Maria Puşchită

DOI
https://doi.org/10.37897/RMJ.2019.3.3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 66, no. 3
pp. 202 – 206

Abstract

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Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), also known as YKL-40, is a secreted glycoprotein that is approximately 40 kDa in size and is encoded by the CHI3L1 gene in humans. The name YKL-40 derives from the letter code for the first three N-terminal amino acids, tyrosine (Y), lysine (K) and leucine (L) and the apparent molecular weight of YKL-40. YKL-40 is expressed and secreted by different cell types, including macrophages, chondrocytes, fibroblast-like synovial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and hepatic stellate cells. The biological function of YKL-40 is unclear. No specific receiver is known. Its expression pattern is associated with pathogenic processes related to inflammation, extracellular tissue remodeling, fibrosis, solid carcinomas, COPD and asthma.

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