ITIH2
ITIH2 (inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 2, also known as H2P) is a secreted heavy chain of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor family. It is proposed to carry hyaluronan in serum and to link hyaluronan with other matrix proteins. Browse Assay Genie's current range of ITIH2 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
ITIH2 is a heavy chain of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitors (ITI), a family of structurally related plasma serine protease inhibitors. These are involved in extracellular matrix stabilisation and in the prevention of tumour metastasis. Each ITI family member is built from a light chain and a variable number of heavy chains, and ITIH2 is one of the heavy chain components.
The UniProt annotation indicates that ITIH2 may act as a carrier of hyaluronan in serum. It may also act as a binding protein between hyaluronan and other matrix proteins, including those on cell surfaces in tissues. Through this role it may help regulate the localisation, synthesis and degradation of hyaluronan, which are essential for cells undergoing biological processes. The protein is secreted and belongs to the ITIH family.
The human ITIH2 gene encodes inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H2. HGNC places it in two gene groups: Gla domain containing, and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chains. The gene has also been listed as H2P, and its previous name was inter-alpha (globulin) inhibitor, H2 polypeptide. The mouse ortholog is Itih2. Researchers studying the ITIH2 protein often consider it alongside ITIH1, ITIH3, ITIH4 and ITIH5, because these related heavy chains share the family framework.
ITI family proteins are involved in extracellular matrix stabilisation, making ITIH2 relevant to studies of matrix organisation.
ITIH2 may carry hyaluronan in serum and bind it to other matrix proteins, influencing its localisation, synthesis and degradation.
As a heavy chain of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitors, ITIH2 belongs to a family of plasma serine protease inhibitors.
The ITI family is implicated in preventing tumour metastasis, so ITIH2 is of interest in cancer and matrix studies.
ITIH2 may act as a carrier of hyaluronan in serum, or as a binding protein between hyaluronan and other matrix proteins, including those on cell surfaces. This may help regulate hyaluronan localisation, synthesis and degradation. It is a secreted heavy chain of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor family.
The HGNC full name is inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 2, and UniProt calls the protein inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H2. The alias is H2P, and the previous gene name was inter-alpha (globulin) inhibitor, H2 polypeptide.
ITIH2 belongs to the ITIH family, alongside ITIH1, ITIH3, ITIH4 and ITIH5. The mouse ortholog is Itih2. The ITI family is linked to extracellular matrix stabilisation and the prevention of tumour metastasis; check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chains that share the ITIH family framework with ITIH2.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt P19823; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.