Recombinant Human CD117 (c-Kit)-Fc Chimera (carrier-free)

The proto-oncogene c-Kit, also known as CD117, was initially identified as a viral oncogene in the Hardy-Zuckerman IV feline sarcoma virus (HZ4- FeSV) and is associated with the transforming activity of the virus. CD117 encodes for a type III receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), a class of membrane receptors playing a crucial role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration through different signaling pathways. Signaling of c-Kit is activated by the binding of its ligand, the stem cell factor (SCF) protein, causing c-Kit dimerization and activation by autophosphorylation and initiating a phosphorylation cascade resulting in the regulation of cell growth. Several studies have highlighted the major role of the SCF and cKit in melanogenesis, gametogenesis, hematopoiesis, and brain angiogenesis. Mutations of KIT frequently occurs in several cancer types and neoplasms including melanoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), testicular seminomas, mastocytosis and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). It is suggested that c-Kit acts both as a proto-oncogene via its kinase activity and as a tumor suppressor via its dependence receptor activity. CD117 (c-kit) has been proposed also as a Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) marker in various tumor types. In addition, it is shown that endometrial CSCs expressing CD117 have increased proliferative and colony-forming potential. Not only restricted to endometrial cancer, the expression of CD117 in CSCs has also been demonstrated in ovarian and lung cancer.