Cloning and characterization of human IC53-2, a novel CDK5 activator binding protein

We have identified IC53-2, a human homologue of the rat C53 gene from a human placenta cDNA library (GeneBank Accession No.AF217982). IC53-2 can bind to the CDK5 activator p35 by in vitro association assay. IC53-2 is mapped to human chromosome 17q21.31. The IC53-2 transcript is highly expressed in kidney, liver, skeletal muscle and placenta. It is abundantly expressed in SMMC-7721, C-33A, 3AO, A431 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines by RT-PCR assay. Stable transfection of IC53-2 cDNA into the hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cell remarkably stimulates its growth in vitro. The above results indicate that IC53-2 is a novel human gene, which may be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation.