Rabbit polyclonal to A Disintegrin-like and Metalloprotease with Thrombospondin Type 1 Motif 4 (ADAMTS4)ADAMTS4, also known as aggrecanase-1, is a Metallopeptidase M12B type protease that is responsible for degradation of the articular cartilage protein aggrecan and the brain extracellular matrix proteoglycan brevican. The ADAMTS4 protein contains a signal sequence, a propeptide domain, a catalytic domain, a disintegrin-like motif, and a C-terminal domain with a thrombospondin (TSP) type 1 motif. ADAMTS4 has been implicated in inflammatory joint diseases, and it also may be a factor in the progression of glioma and Alzheimer's disease. ADAMTS4 expression has been documented in normal human brain, cartilage, heart, lung, placenta, muscle, and synovium. ESTs have been isolated from human tissue libraries, including normal brain, lung, pancreas, and skeletal muscle and cancerous breast.