Vasorin (VASN)

The deduced 673-amino acid protein contains a putative hydrophobic signal sequence, 10 tandem arrays of a leucine-rich repeat, an epidermal growth factor-like domain, a fibronectin type III-like domain, and a short intracellular region. In situ hybridization detected mouse vasorin in the tunica media of the proximal ascending aorta, descending thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, and coronary arteries. In mouse kidney, vasorin was expressed in interstitial cells. expression of vasorin in aortas increased gradually in parallel with the differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells beginning at embryonic day 10.5. Vasorin expressed by transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells showed an apparent molecular mass of 110 kD, which shifted following N-glycosidase treatment. Vasorin was expressed on the cell surface and was secreted into the culture medium.