Overview:
LOX or lysyl oxidase is an extracellular copper enzyme that initiates the cross-linking of collagens and elastin. LOX catalyzes oxidative deamination of the epsilon-amino group in certain lysine and hydroxylysine residues of collagens and lysine residues of elastin (1). LOX plays an important role in tumor suppression (2). LOX may be required to create a niche permissive for metastatic growth and it is essential for hypoxia-induced metastasis.
Gene Aliases:
Lysyl oxidase
Genbank Number:
BC074872
References:
1. Hamalainen, E.-R. et.al: Molecular cloning of human lysyl oxidase and assignment of the gene to chromosome 5q23.3-31.2. Genomics 11: 508-516, 1991.2. Kaneda, A. et.al: Lysyl oxidase is a tumor suppressor gene inactivated by methylation and loss of heterozygosity in human gastric cancers. Cancer Res. 64: 6410-6415, 2004