The Density-Regulated Protein consists of 198 amino acids and is highly expressed in the heart and skeletal muscle, with moderate expression in the brain, placenta, liver, and pancreas. It is weakly expressed in the lung and kidney . The protein is up-regulated with increasing cell density by HNRNPD and is also up-regulated in ovarian and breast cancer cells by ERBB2 overexpression .
The primary function of the Density-Regulated Protein is to form a complex with MCTS1 (Malignant T Cell Amplified Sequence 1) to promote translation reinitiation. This process involves the small ribosomal subunit remaining attached to the mRNA following the termination of translation of a regulatory upstream ORF (uORF) and resuming scanning on the same mRNA molecule to initiate translation of a downstream ORF, usually the main ORF (mORF) .
The MCTS1/DENR complex is pivotal to two linked mechanisms essential for translation reinitiation:
This regulatory mechanism governs the translation of more than 150 genes whose translation reinitiation is MCTS1/DENR complex-dependent .
Recombinant Human Density-Regulated Protein is produced using Escherichia coli expression systems. The recombinant protein is typically purified to a high degree of purity (>85%) and is suitable for various applications such as SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry (MS) . The recombinant form retains the functional properties of the native protein, making it valuable for research and therapeutic applications.
The expression of Density-Regulated Protein is up-regulated in certain cancer cells, such as ovarian and breast cancer, indicating its potential role in cancer biology . Understanding the function and regulation of this protein could provide insights into novel therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.