Invitrogen™ BST-1 Polyclonal Antibody

CD157, also known as Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Antigen 1 (BST1), is a pleiotropic ectoenzyme and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored molecule that functions both as an enzyme and a receptor. Similar to CD38, CD157 is involved in the metabolism of NAD+, which may play a role in regulating intracellular Ca2+ levels. As an enzyme, CD157 is also referred to as ADP-ribosyl cyclase 2 and DAMP-1, and it facilitates pre-B cell growth. As a receptor, CD157 is thought to initiate a signal transduction cascade upon binding to its putative ligand, leading to the phosphorylation of cytoplasmic proteins, including focal adhesion kinase (FAK). While the mechanism and functional significance of CD157-initiated signal transduction are not fully characterized, its role in cellular signaling is evident. BST1 expression is enhanced in bone marrow stromal cell lines derived from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting a link to polyclonal B cell abnormalities observed in the disease. This overexpression in the stromal cell population may contribute to the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis, highlighting the importance of CD157/BST1 in both normal immune function and disease states.