Recombinant human CD59 protein

CD59 is a cell surface glycoprotein that regulates complement-mediated cell lysis, and it is involved in lymphocyte signal transduction. This protein is a potent inhibitor of the complement membrane attack complex, whereby it binds complement C8 and/or C9 during the assembly of this complex, thereby inhibiting the incorporation of multiple copies of C9 into the complex, which is necessary for osmolytic pore formation. It also plays a role in signal transduction pathways in the activation of T cells. Mutations in this gene cause CD59 deficiency, a disease resulting in hemolytic anemia and thrombosis, and which causes cerebral infarction. Recombinant human CD59 protein, fused to His-tag at N-terminus, was expressed in E. coli and purified by using conventional chromatography techniques.