Description
ADAMTS4, also known as aggrecanase-1, is a secreted member of the ADAM family of proteins. ADAMTS4 is upregulated by TNF-alpha in osteoarthritis and contributes to joint destruction. Its upregulation in some cancers may enhance tumor invasiveness. Human ADAMTS4 consists of a signal peptide (aa1-51), a pro domain (aa52-212) and a mature chain (aa213-837) containing the following domains: catalytic (aa218-425), disintegrin (aa437-519), TSP type-1 (aa520-575), Cys-rich (aa 577 to 685) and spacer (aa686-837). The amino acid sequence of rhADAMTS4 is 100%, 97% and 94% identical to that of chimpanzee, dog, and mouse/rat/bovine