HGFAC

What is HGFAC protein?

HGFAC (HGF activator ) gene is a protein coding gene which situated on the short arm of chromosome 4 at locus 4p16. This gene encodes a member of the peptidase S1 protein family called HGFAC or HGFA. The encoded protein is first synthesized as an inactive single-chain precursor before being activated to a heterodimeric form by endoproteolytic processing. It acts as serine protease that converts hepatocyte growth factor to the active form. The HGFAC protein is consisted of 655 amino acids and its molecular mass is approximately 70.7 kDa.

What is the function of HGFAC protein?

HGF activator (HGFA) is an enzyme whose function is to activate hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Specifically, HGFA can shear the HGF precursor protein (pre-HGF) into the active form of HGF. Active HGF binds to its receptor, c-Met, and promotes cell proliferation, survival, migration, and differentiation. Therefore, HGFA plays an important role in regulating physiological and pathological processes such as cell growth, tissue repair, and cancer progression.

HGFAC Related Signaling Pathway

HGFA is an HGF/SF precursor protein cutting enzyme that can cut HGF/SF precursor proteins into mature HGF/SF, thereby activating the HGF/SF signaling pathway. In addition, HGFA can activate ERK signaling pathway and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, while inhibiting TGF-β signaling pathway and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby conditioning cell proliferation, survival and other activities.

HGFAC Related Diseases

Diseases associated with HGFAC include deafness and diarrhea with tufting enteropathy. High levels of HGFA expression are associated with tumor invasion and metastasis, including liver cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, etc., and abnormal HGFA activation is associated with inflammatory diseases. In addition, abnormal HGFA function may lead to abnormal activation or suppression of the immune system, which affects the body's immune response to infections and tumors.

Bioapplications of HGFAC

HGFA has been applied in the medical field, and the targeted therapy for HGFA has become a new strategy for cancer treatment.

Case Study 1: Esther P M Tjin, 2006

Fig1. Expression of HGFA in GC B cells and primary DLBCLs at mRNA level.

Case Study 2: K Miyazawa, 1993

Fig2. SDS-PAGE of purified human HGF activator.

HGFAC has several biochemical functions, for example, . Some of the functions are cooperated with other proteins, some of the functions could acted by HGFAC itself. We selected most functions HGFAC had, and list some proteins which have the same functions with HGFAC. You can find most of the proteins on our site.

HGFAC has direct interactions with proteins and molecules. Those interactions were detected by several methods such as yeast two hybrid, co-IP, pull-down and so on. We selected proteins and molecules interacted with HGFAC here. Most of them are supplied by our site. Hope this information will be useful for your research of HGFAC.