| Modification Notes |
ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain with Thrombospondin type-1 modules) is a family of zinc-dependent proteases that are implicated in a variety of normal and pathological conditions, including arthritis and cancer (1-3). ADAMTS protein family members contain an amino-terminal propeptide domain, a metalloproteinase domain, a disintegrin-like domain, and a carboxy-terminus that contains a varying number of thrombospondin type-1 (TSP-1) motifs (1-3). ADAMTS genes are primarily expressed in fetal tissues, including the lung, kidney and liver (1-3). The human ADAMTS12 gene maps to chromosome 5q35 and encodes a deduced 1,543 amino acid protein that is expressed exclusively in fetal lung (4). ADAMTS12 contains eight TS-1 motifs and may play a role in pulmonary cells during fetal development or in tumor processes through its proteolytic activity or as a molecule potentially involved in regulation of cell adhesion (1,5). |