Background of the antigen
Members of the calsyntenin protein family are localized to the post-synaptic membrane of exicitatory central nervous system (CNS) synapses. Calsyntenin-1, also known as CSTN1, PIK3CD, Alzheimer-related cadherin-like protein, non-classical cadherin XB31alpha, KIAA0911, ALC-ALPHA, alcalpha1, alcalpha2 or FLJ32258, is a 981 amino acid single-pass type I membrane protein that localizes to the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, cell projections and postsynaptic cells. Expressed in brain, calsyntenin-1 is also found at lower levels in placenta, skeletal muscle, heart and kidney. Calsyntenin-1 binds synaptic Ca2+ with its cytoplasmic domain and plays a role in extracellular proteolysis. Calsyntenin-1 is also known to form a complex with X11 Beta and APP to suppress the metabolic cleavage of APP, and docks vesicular cargo to KLC1. Calsyntenin-1 may be related to the development or progression of Alzheimer’s disease, and two calsyntenin-1 isoforms are produced as a result of alternative splicing events.