HCST (gene) explained

Hematopoietic cell signal transducer is a protein that in humans is encoded by the HCST gene.^{[1] [2]}

This gene encodes a transmembrane signaling adaptor that contains a YxxM motif in its cytoplasmic domain. The encoded protein may form part of the immune recognition receptor complex with the C-type lectin-like receptor NKG2D. As part of this receptor complex, this protein may activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase dependent signaling pathways through its intracytoplasmic YxxM motif. This receptor complex may have a role in cell survival and proliferation by activation of NK and T cell responses. Alternative splicing results in two transcript variants encoding different isoforms.^[3]

Further reading

• Karimi M, Cao TM, Baker JA, etal . Silencing human NKG2D, DAP10, and DAP12 reduces cytotoxicity of activated CD8+ T cells and NK cells. . J. Immunol. . 175 . 12 . 7819–28 . 2006 . 16339517 . 10.4049/jimmunol.175.12.7819. free .
• André P, Castriconi R, Espéli M, etal . Comparative analysis of human NK cell activation induced by NKG2D and natural cytotoxicity receptors. . Eur. J. Immunol. . 34 . 4 . 961–71 . 2004 . 15048706 . 10.1002/eji.200324705 . free .
• Clark HF, Gurney AL, Abaya E, etal . The secreted protein discovery initiative (SPDI), a large-scale effort to identify novel human secreted and transmembrane proteins: a bioinformatics assessment. . Genome Res. . 13 . 10 . 2265–70 . 2003 . 12975309 . 10.1101/gr.1293003 . 403697 .
• Billadeau DD, Upshaw JL, Schoon RA, etal . NKG2D-DAP10 triggers human NK cell-mediated killing via a Syk-independent regulatory pathway. . Nat. Immunol. . 4 . 6 . 557–64 . 2003 . 12740575 . 10.1038/ni929 . 7699074 .
• Strausberg RL, Feingold EA, Grouse LH, etal . Generation and initial analysis of more than 15,000 full-length human and mouse cDNA sequences. . Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. . 99 . 26 . 16899–903 . 2003 . 12477932 . 10.1073/pnas.242603899 . 139241 . 2002PNAS...9916899M . free .
• Diefenbach A, Tomasello E, Lucas M, etal . Selective associations with signaling proteins determine stimulatory versus costimulatory activity of NKG2D. . Nat. Immunol. . 3 . 12 . 1142–9 . 2002 . 12426565 . 10.1038/ni858 . 14901451 .
• Gilfillan S, Ho EL, Cella M, etal . NKG2D recruits two distinct adapters to trigger NK cell activation and costimulation. . Nat. Immunol. . 3 . 12 . 1150–5 . 2002 . 12426564 . 10.1038/ni857 . 5859797 .
• Yim D, Jie HB, Sotiriadis J, etal . Molecular cloning and characterization of pig immunoreceptor DAP10 and NKG2D. . Immunogenetics . 53 . 3 . 243–9 . 2001 . 11398969 . 10.1007/s002510100321 . 23708388 .
• Cosman D, Müllberg J, Sutherland CL, etal . ULBPs, novel MHC class I-related molecules, bind to CMV glycoprotein UL16 and stimulate NK cytotoxicity through the NKG2D receptor. . Immunity . 14 . 2 . 123–33 . 2001 . 11239445 . 10.1016/S1074-7613(01)00095-4 . free .
• Wu J, Cherwinski H, Spies T, etal . DAP10 and DAP12 form distinct, but functionally cooperative, receptor complexes in natural killer cells. . J. Exp. Med. . 192 . 7 . 1059–68 . 2000 . 11015446 . 10.1084/jem.192.7.1059 . 2193316 .
• Chang C, Dietrich J, Harpur AG, etal . Cutting edge: KAP10, a novel transmembrane adapter protein genetically linked to DAP12 but with unique signaling properties. . J. Immunol. . 163 . 9 . 4651–4 . 1999 . 10.4049/jimmunol.163.9.4651 . 10528161 .

Notes and References

1. Wu J, Song Y, Bakker AB, Bauer S, Spies T, Lanier LL, Phillips JH . An activating immunoreceptor complex formed by NKG2D and DAP10 . Science . 285 . 5428 . 730–2 . Aug 1999 . 10426994 . 10.1126/science.285.5428.730 .
2. Web site: Entrez Gene: HCST hematopoietic cell signal transducer.
3. Web site: Entrez Gene: HCST hematopoietic cell signal transducer.