Chemerin: Proteins and Enzymes

Chemerin, also known as Tazarotene-induced Gene 2, (Tig-2), is a member of the Cystatin superfamily. Chemerin is synthesized as a 163 aa precursor that contains a hydrophobic 20 aa N-terminal sequence, an intervening 137 aa Cystatin fold-containing domain, and a six aa C-terminal prosegment. It is activated by proteases of the coagulation, fibrinolytic, and inflammatory cascades. Chemerin is a chemoattractant for cells bearing the Chem R23 receptor, including plasmacytoid dendritic cells and tissue macrophages.