Harmonizome 3.0

haptoglobin

This gene encodes a preproprotein, which is processed to yield both alpha and beta chains, which subsequently combine as a tetramer to produce haptoglobin. Haptoglobin functions to bind free plasma hemoglobin, which allows degradative enzymes to gain access to the hemoglobin, while at the same time preventing loss of iron through the kidneys and protecting the kidneys from damage by hemoglobin. Mutations in this gene and/or its regulatory regions cause ahaptoglobinemia or hypohaptoglobinemia. This gene has also been linked to diabetic nephropathy, the incidence of coronary artery disease in type 1 diabetes, Crohn's disease, inflammatory disease behavior, primary sclerosing cholangitis, susceptibility to idiopathic Parkinson's disease, and a reduced incidence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The protein encoded also exhibits antimicrobial activity against bacteria. A similar duplicated gene is located next to this gene on chromosome 16. Multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2014]

haptoglobin-related protein

This gene encodes a haptoglobin-related protein that binds hemoglobin as efficiently as haptoglobin. Unlike haptoglobin, plasma concentration of this protein is unaffected in patients with sickle cell anemia and extensive intravascular hemolysis, suggesting a difference in binding between haptoglobin-hemoglobin and haptoglobin-related protein-hemoglobin complexes to CD163, the hemoglobin scavenger receptor. This protein may also be a clinically important predictor of recurrence of breast cancer. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2011]