SCG3 Human

Secretogranin III is characterized by its ability to regulate the formation of secretory granules within cells. These granules are essential for the storage and release of various hormones and neurotransmitters. Scg3 contains a classical signal peptide for extracellular trafficking, which suggests its potential role in extrinsic regulation .

Recent studies have expanded our understanding of Scg3, revealing its function as an angiogenic factor. Unlike many other angiogenic factors, the pro-angiogenic actions of Scg3 are restricted to pathological conditions. This means that Scg3 selectively binds to and induces angiogenesis in diseased tissues, such as those affected by diabetic retinopathy, without affecting healthy tissues .

One of the most remarkable properties of Scg3 is its high disease selectivity. In diabetic retinopathy, Scg3 has the highest binding activity ratio to diabetic versus healthy mouse retinas and the lowest background binding to normal vessels . This unique selectivity makes Scg3 a promising target for developing disease-specific therapies.

The discovery of Scg3’s role in pathological angiogenesis has significant therapeutic implications. Neutralizing antibodies against Scg3 have been shown to alleviate retinal vascular leakage in mouse models of diabetic retinopathy and reduce retinal neovascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathy mice . These findings suggest that Scg3 inhibitors could serve as selective angiogenesis blockers for targeted therapy.