BENZON
SYMPOSIUM NO. 50
The
Lipocalin Protein Superfamily
August
24-28, 2003
Copenhagen,
Denmark
Organizing
committee:
Bo
Åkerström (Lund), Darren Flower (Compton), Jean-Philippe Salier (Rouen) and
Niels
Borregaard (Copenhagen),
Invited
speakers and chairmen:
Synopsis
The lipocalin protein superfamily is one of the most remarkable protein superfamilies exhibiting extraordinary diversity at the level of sequence and function. It consists of more than 25 small extracellular proteins originating from a wide variety of tissues in vertebrate and invertebrate animals, plants and bacteria. Lipocalins are characterised by three molecular recognition properties: the binding of small hydrophobic substances, the binding to cell-surface receptors, and the formation of complexes with other soluble macromolecules A typical lipocalin consists of a 160-180 amino-acid peptide, folded into 8-9 b-strands which form a coffee filter-like cone with a hydrophobic interior. The plasma proteins: retinol-binding protein, orosomucoid, and a1-microglobulin, the nasal odorant-binding proteins, the bilin-binding proteins of butterflies and crustacyanin, the protein which gives the shell of crayfish its unusual colour properties, are all examples of lipocalins.
Clinical studies have shown the importance of many lipocalins in health and disease: the plasma levels of a1-acid-glycoprotein- and neutrophil-gelatinase associated-lipocalin are significantly increased in acute, systemic inflammation in mammals; a1-microglobulin has become the major urinary marker of renal disorders; glycodelin is a biochemical marker in pregnancy. Lipocalins have been implicated at one stage or another of pathophysiogical events such as acute systemic inflammation (the anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor activity of a1-acid-glycoprotein), nerve growth (lazarillo) and regeneration (apolipoprotein D), the proliferation of cancer cells (apolipoprotein D; neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) or allergy (the allergenic power of a cockroach lipocalin). Recent research has shown that, in the future, new recombinant lipocalins may, in the future, be of use as laboratory reagents analogous to antibodies.
The lipocalin protein superfamily was defined fifteen years ago. Since then, our knowledge of the proteins has expanded enormously. One or more new lipocalins are discovered every year. Benzon Symposium No. 50 will be devoted to this subject. Sessions will focus on structural principles, evolutionary relationships, similarities and differences in gene organization, clinical aspects as well as structure and functions of individual lipocalins.
Clinical studies have shown the importance of many lipocalins in health and disease: the plasma levels of a1-acid-glycoprotein and neutrophil-gelatinase associated lipocalin are significantly increased in acute, systemic inflammation in mammals; a1-microglobulin has become the major urinary marker of renal disorders; glycodelin is a biochemical marker in pregnancy. Lipocalins have been implicated at one stage or another of physiopathological events such as acute systemic inflammation (e.g. the anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor activity of a1-acid-glycoprotein), nerve growth (lazarillo) and regeneration (e.g.: apolipoprotein D), the proliferation of cancer cells (e.g.: apolipoprotein D; neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) or allergy (e.g. the allergenic power of a coackroach lipocalin). Recent research has shown that new recombinant lipocalins may, in the future, be of use as laboratory reagents analogous to antibodies.
The lipocalin protein superfamily was defined fifteen
years ago. Since then, our knowledge of the proteins has expanded enormously.
One or more new lipocalins are discovered every year. The Benzon Symposium no.
50 will be devoted to this subject. Sessions will be devoted to structural
principles, evolutionary relationships, similarities and differences in gene
organization, clinical aspects as well as structure and functions of individual
lipocalins.
Scientific Programme
Niels
Borregaard: Introduction
Session
I - Lipocalin genes and evolution of lipocalins
Chairmen:
Frank Claessens & Paolo Pelosi
Russell
E. BISHOP:
Structural Relationships Between Bacterial Lipocalins and
Bernard
REDL:
Tear Lipocalin Genes – Structures and Regulatory Elements
Jean-Philippe
SALIER:
Chromosomal Location and Organization of Lipocalin
Genes
Diego
SANCHEZ:
Molecular Evolution of the Lipocalin Family
Jean-Benoit
F. CHARRON: Cold-regulated Plant Lipocalins (Poster No. I-1)
Aldo
PAGANO: The Chondrogenesis Associated Lipocalins (Poster No. I-2)
Kichiya
SUZUKI: Identification of a Cluster of Epididymal Lipocalins on the
Murine Chromosome
2 [A3] Region (Poster No. I-3)
Jack
COWLAND: Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated (NGAL) is Upregulated in Human
Epithelial Cells by IL-1β but not by TNF-α (Poster No. I-4)
Session
II - Structure and function of individual lipocalins 1
Chairmen:
Jean-Philippe Salier & Diego Sanchez
Bo
ÅKERSTRÖM:
Heme- and Radical Savenger Properties of a1-Microglobulin
Ben
GLASGOW:
The Structure and Function of Tear Lipocalin
Session
II - Structure and function of individual lipocalins 2
Chairmen:
Marcia Newcomer & Arne Skerra
William
R. MONTFORT:
Nitric Oxide Transport by Lipocalins from Blood-sucking Insects
Eric
RASSART:
Apolipoprotein D
Guido
PAESEN:
Structure and Function of Histamine-binding Proteins and
Related Lipocalins from Ticks
Paolo
PELOSI:
Structure and Function of Odorant-binding Protein
Ulla-Maja
BAILEY: The Drosophila
Lipocalin, Karl,
Is Specifically Expressed in
the Blood Cell Compartment (Poster No. II-1)
María
D. GANFORNIA: Genetic Analysis of the Lipocalin Lazarillo Function:
A Multiorganismal Approach (Poster No. II-2)
M.
NILSEN-HAMILTON: Uterocalin/24p3, An Acute Phase Protein Expressed by
the Mammary Gland (Poster No. II-3)
Maria
ALLHORN: The Lipocalin α1-Microglobulin
Generates Superoxide Radicals (Poster No. II-4)
Lindsay
SAWYER:
β-Lactoglobulin – Structure, Properties and Function
Roland
K. STRONG:
Siderocalin, Siderophores and Iron
Session
III - Structure of lipocalins
Chairmen:
Darren Flower & Roland K. Strong
Christian
H. CAMBILLAU:
Crystal Structures of Pheromones and Odor Transport Lipocalins
Marcia
NEWCOMER:
Retinol Binding Protein: Structure and Function
Yuji
GOTO:
Conformation and Folding of Bovine β-Lactoglobulin
Henriette
MOLINARI:
Folding and Interaction Studies of β-Lactoglobulins and Liver Basic Fatty
Acid Binding Protein
Yoshihiro
URADE: Functional and Structural Analyses of Lipocalin-type
Prostaglandin D Synthase (Beta-Trace) (Poster No. III-1)
Lesley
GREENE: Nature of Sequence and Structural Conservation in the Lipocalin
Superfamily: Relationship to Folding and Stability (Poster No. III-2)
Pierre
J. RIZKALLAH: The Molecular Basis of the Coloration Mechanism in Lobster
Shell: Beta-crustacyanin at 3.2 Å Resolution (Poster No. III-3)
James
M. SODETZ: Human Complement Protein C8g:
The Sole Lipocalin in the
Complement System (Poster No. III-4)
Session
IV - Lipocalins in disease and medicine 1
Chairmen:
Lennart Lögdberg & Anders Grubb
Niels
BORREGAARD:
Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin in Health and
Disease
Rauno
MÄNTYJÄRVI:
Lipocalin Allergens
Session
IV - Lipocalins in disease and medicine 2
Chairmen:
Bo Åkerström & Rauno Mäntyjärvi
W.
van DIJK:
Anti-inflammatory Properties of Specific Glycoforms of α1-Acid
Glycoprotein
Lennart
LÖGDBERG:
An Update on the Immunocalins, the Immunomodulatory
Lipocalins
Fiorella
Descalzi CANCEDDA:
EX-FABP in Differentiation and Pathology
Markku
SEPPÄLÄ:
Glycodelin: A major Lipocalin Protein of the Reproductive Axis With Diverse
Actions in Gamete Binding, Immune Reactions and Differentiation
Anjali
KARANDE: Glycodelin A: An Immunocalin with Apoptotic Activity (Poster
No. II-5)
Gilbert
HAUG: Construction of Anticalins as Antagonistic Agents for the
Target-specific Intervention In Autoimmune Diseases (Poster No. IV-2)
Mark
L. TYKOCINSKI: Unique T Cell Immunoregulatory Properties of the
Lipocalin Placental
Protein 14 (Poster No. IV-3)
María
V. CROCE:
a1-Acid Gglycoprotein (AAG), A Possible Carrier of Sialyl
Lewis X (SLEWIS X) Antigen In Colorectal Carcinoma (Poster No. IV-4)
Session
V - Future of lipocalin research
Chairmen:
Yoshihiro Urade & Lindsay Sawyer
Arne
SKERRA:
Anticalins: Engineered Lipocalins With Antibody-like Ligand-binding Properties
Darren
R. FLOWER:
Lipocalin Research Beyond the Superfamilies: Future Horizons
For
abstracts click here
