MDK: A Target Enabling Package

Midkine (MDK) is a secreted heparan-sulfate binding cytokine and plays many roles in the development of disease pathology, particularly in neurodegeneration. It binds cell surface proteoglycans receptors via their chondroitin sulfate groups and its expression is regulated by retinoic acid. The roles of MDK are regulated by its interaction with heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface. From a pathological standpoint, proteomic analysis has shown it to be co-expressed with other amyloidogenic proteins, in addition to being highly colocalized in amyloid-beta plaques (2). The aim of this TEP is to generate reagents useful for investigating the role of MDK in Alzheimer’s disease, such as validation of available antibodies, generic knockout/knockdown cell lines and purified protein.