Anti-WISP-1/CCN4 Antibody Picoband® Fluoro488 Conjugated

This gene encodes a member of the WNT1 inducible signaling pathway (WISP) protein subfamily, which belongs to the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) family. WNT1 is a member of a family of cysteine-rich, glycosylated signaling proteins that mediate diverse developmental processes. The CTGF family members are characterized by four conserved cysteine-rich domains: insulin-like growth factor-binding domain, von Willebrand factor type C module, thrombospondin domain and C-terminal cystine knot-like domain. This gene may be downstream in the WNT1 signaling pathway that is relevant to malignant transformation. It is expressed at a high level in fibroblast cells, and overexpressed in colon tumors. The encoded protein binds to decorin and biglycan, two members of a family of small leucine-rich proteoglycans present in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue, and possibly prevents the inhibitory activity of decorin and biglycan in tumor cell proliferation. It also attenuates p53-mediated apoptosis in response to DNA damage through activation of the Akt kinase. It is 83% identical to the mouse protein at the amino acid level. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants have been identified.

Detected in skin. In the cornea, it is detected in the epithelial basement membrane, the epithelial cells, and at a lower level in stromal cells. Stratified squamous epithelia. Found in hemidesmosomes. Expressed in cornea, oral mucosa, esophagus, intestine, kidney collecting ducts, ureter, bladder, urethra and thymus but is absent in lung, blood vessels, skeletal muscle and nerves.

1. Pennica, D., Swanson, T. A., Welsh, J. W., Roy, M. A., Lawrence, D. A., Lee, J., Brush, J., Taneyhill, L. A., Deuel, B., Lew, M., Watanabe, C., Cohen, R. L., Melhem, M. F., Finley, G. G., Quirke, P., Goddard, A. D., Hillan, K. J., Gurney, A. L., Botstein, D., Levine, A. J. WISP genes are members of the connective tissue growth factor family that are up-regulated in Wnt-1-transformed cells and aberrantly expressed in human colon tumors. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 95: 14717-14722, 1998. 2. Tanaka, S., Sugimachi, K., Saeki, H., Kinoshita, J., Ohga, T., Shimada, M., Maehara, Y., Sugimachi, K. A novel variant of WISP1 lacking a von Willebrand type C module overexpressed in scirrhous gastric carcinoma. Oncogene 20: 5525-5532, 2001. 3. Xu, L., Corcoran, R. B., Welsh, J. W., Pennica, D., Levine, A. J. WISP-1 is a Wnt-1- and beta-catenin-responsive oncogene. Genes Dev. 14: 585-595, 2000.