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). <strong>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.</strong>中期因子（Midkine，MDK）是一种分泌型肝素结合细胞因子，在疾病病理进程中发挥多种生物学功能，尤其参与神经退行性病变的发生发展。它可通过细胞表面蛋白聚糖的硫酸软骨素基团结合其受体，且其表达受视黄酸调控。MDK的功能由其与细胞表面硫酸乙酰肝素蛋白聚糖的相互作用所调控。从病理学角度而言，蛋白质组学分析显示，MDK不仅与其他淀粉样蛋白共表达，还在β淀粉样斑块中高度共定位（2）。<strong>本TEP旨在制备可用于探究阿尔茨海默病中MDK作用的相关试剂，例如验证现有抗体、构建通用型基因敲除/敲低细胞系以及纯化蛋白。</strong>