Description
DAN is a secreted glycoprotein related to Xenopus laevis cerberus. It is being referred to also as DAND1 [DAN domain family member 1]. The gene has been described also as NO3 gene, which shows tumor suppressor activity in cells transformed by the src oncogene.1 DAN belongs to a gene family, termed CAN family, that includes the head-inducing factor Gremlin, Cerberus, PRDC.2 DAN and several other members of the can family act as antagonists of BMP and appear to block BMP signaling by preventing bone morphogenetic proteins from interacting with their receptors. DAN has recently been demonstrated to have a tumor-suppressive activity in vitro and may have an important role in regulation of the entry of cells into the S phase.3