Anti-Semaphorin-3E (N-terminal region) Antibody

The Semaphorin family of axon guidance molecules includes secreted, transmembrane, and GPI-anchored extracellular molecules that have been implicated in neuron development, vascular disease, and tumor progression. There are eight classes of semaphorin genes, all of which are characterized by a conserved 500 amino acid, cystine-rich Sema domain. Semaphorin 3E (Sema-3E) is a class III secreted semaphorin that binds Plexin D1 receptor, and has putative roles in axon guidance, angiogenesis, and cancers. Mutations in the Sema-3E gene are associated with CHARGE syndrome, a disorder that has nerve and cardiovascular abnormalities. The Sema-3E protein is expressed as full length (87 kDa) and furin-dependent processed forms (61 and 25 kDa). These forms are observed as monomers, as well as homo- and hetero-dimers. Sema-3E protein is frequently expressed in human cancer cell lines and in solid tumors from breast cancer patients. The expression of Sema-3E in mammary adenocarcinoma cells induces the ability to form experimental lung metastasis, and this activity requires furin-dependent production of the 61 kDa Sema-3E protein.