prostate apoptosis response protein PAR-4 (2-7) [Homo sapiens], (C26H41N9O9), a peptide with the sequence H2N-Ala-Thr-Gly-Gly-Tyr-Arg-OH, MW= 623.66. Prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4), is a human gene coding for a tumor-suppressor protein that induces apoptosis in cancer cells, but not in normal cells.The tumor suppressor PAR-4 represses and activates transcription. The protein encoded by this gene is a PAR-4-interacting protein that itself functions as a transcriptional repressor. It contains a putative leucine zipper domain which interacts with the zinc finger DNA binding domain of PAR-4. This protein is specifically upregulated during apoptosis of prostate cells1.The active domain of the Par-4 protein has been found to confer cancer resistance in transgenic mice without compromising normal viability or aging, and may have therapeutic significance2.
References:
1. Johnstone, R W; See R H, Sells S F, Wang J, Muthukkumar S, Englert C, Haber D A, Licht J D, Sugrue S P, Roberts T, Rangnekar V M, Shi Y (Dec. 1996). "A novel repressor, par-4, modulates transcription and growth suppression functions of the Wilms' tumor suppressor WT1". Mol. Cell. Biol. (UNITED STATES) 16 (12): 6945-56.
2. Zhao Y, Burikhanov R, Qiu S, Lele SM, JenningsCD, Bondada S, Spear B, Rangnekar VM (2007). "Cancer resistance in transgenic mice expressing the SAC module of Par-4". Cancer Res. 67 (19): 9276-85.