DEFA4 defensin alpha 4 [Homo sapiens (human)] - Gene

Summary

Official Symbol: DEFA4provided by HGNC
Official Full Name: defensin alpha 4provided by HGNC
Primary source: HGNC:HGNC:2763
See related: Ensembl:ENSG00000164821 MIM:601157; AllianceGenome:HGNC:2763
Gene type: protein coding
RefSeq status: REVIEWED
Organism: Homo sapiens
Lineage: Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo
Also known as: HP4; DEF4; HP-4; HNP-4
Summary: Defensins are a family of antimicrobial and cytotoxic peptides thought to be involved in host defense. They are abundant in the granules of neutrophils and also found in the epithelia of mucosal surfaces such as those of the intestine, respiratory tract, urinary tract, and vagina. Members of the defensin family are highly similar in protein sequence and distinguished by a conserved cysteine motif. Several alpha defensin genes are clustered on chromosome 8. This gene differs from other genes of this family by an extra 83-base segment that is apparently the result of a recent duplication within the coding region. The protein encoded by this gene, defensin, alpha 4, is found in the neutrophils; it exhibits corticostatic activity and inhibits corticotropin stimulated corticosterone production. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2014]
Expression: Restricted expression toward bone marrow (RPKM 1355.2) See more
Orthologs: all
NEW: Try the new Gene table
Try the new Transcript table

Genomic context

Location:: 8p23.1

Exon count:: 3

Annotation release	Status	Assembly	Chr	Location
RS_2024_08	current	GRCh38.p14 (GCF_000001405.40)	8	NC_000008.11 (6935820..6938306, complement)
RS_2024_08	current	T2T-CHM13v2.0 (GCF_009914755.1)	8	NC_060932.1 (6690512..6692998, complement)
RS_2024_09	previous assembly	GRCh37.p13 (GCF_000001405.25)	8	NC_000008.10 (6793342..6795828, complement)

Chromosome 8 - NC_000008.11 Genomic Context describing neighboring genes

Genomic regions, transcripts, and products

Go to the top of the page Help

Go to reference sequence details

Genomic Sequence:

Go to nucleotide: Graphics FASTA GenBank

Bibliography

Go to the top of the page Help

GeneRIFs: Gene References Into Functions

What's a GeneRIF?

findings unveil the molecular determinants of HNP4 function, completing the atlas of structure and function relationships for all human neutrophil alpha-defensins.
Title: Systematic mutational analysis of human neutrophil α-defensin HNP4.
Three AMP genes, histatin 3 (HTN3), alpha-defensin 4 (DEFA4) and lysozyme C (LYZ), presented different expression levels in periodontitis patients compared with healthy subjects. The relative expression level of DEFA4 appeared to be a protective factor against periodontitis.
Title: Antimicrobial peptide gene expression in periodontitis patients: A pilot study.
DEFA4 displays antimicrobial activity against E. coli, S. faecalis, and C. albicans.
Title: Purification and characterization of human neutrophil peptide 4, a novel member of the defensin family.
Results indicate that the gene expression of DEFA 1/3 and 4 was significantly increased in all tumours - except for a significant decrease of DEFA 4 gene expression in pleomorphic adenomas.
Title: Human α-defensin (DEFA) gene expression helps to characterise benign and malignant salivary gland tumours.
DEFA1-3 and DEFA4 mRNA level in peripheral blood cells can be used to identify chronic myeloid leukaemia patients who are at risk of being imatinib-resistant, before initiation of the therapy.
Title: α-defensin 1-3 and α-defensin 4 as predictive markers of imatinib resistance and relapse in CML patients.
The combination of an increased expression of the antimicrobial peptide DEFA-4, the oncogene S100-A7, epidermal growth factor, and tenascin-c, and a decreased Doc-1 expression in oral leukoplakia might characterize its potency of malignant transformation.
Title: Gene expression of oncogenes, antimicrobial peptides, and cytokines in the development of oral leukoplakia.
Observational study of gene-disease association and gene-gene interaction. (HuGE Navigator)
Title: Polymorphisms in innate immunity genes and risk of childhood leukemia.
Observational study of gene-disease association, gene-environment interaction, and pharmacogenomic / toxicogenomic. (HuGE Navigator)
Title: Polymorphisms in innate immunity genes and patients response to dendritic cell-based HIV immuno-treatment.
DEFA4 was upregulated in IPF patients with acute exacerbation
Title: Gene expression profiles of acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Observational study of gene-disease association. (HuGE Navigator)
Title: Risk of meningioma and common variation in genes related to innate immunity.

Submit: New GeneRIF Correction See all GeneRIFs (11)

Phenotypes

Go to the top of the page Help

Find tests for this gene in the NIH Genetic Testing Registry (GTR)

Review eQTL and phenotype association data in this region using PheGenI

Variation

Go to the top of the page Help

See variants in ClinVar

See studies and variants in dbVar

See Variation Viewer (GRCh37.p13)

See Variation Viewer (GRCh38)

HIV-1 interactions

Go to the top of the page Help

Protein interactions

Protein	Gene	Interaction	Pubs
Envelope surface glycoprotein gp120	env	Alpha-defensins inhibit the binding of HIV-1 gp120 to CD4 through interaction with the D1 domain of CD4	PubMed
	env	Human neutrophil alpha-defensin 4 (HNP4) is more effective than HNP1-3 in protecting human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from infection by both CXCR4- and CCR5-tropic HIV-1 strains, but HNP4 binds to both CD4 and gp120 weaker than does HNP1	PubMed

Go to the HIV-1, Human Interaction Database

General gene information

Go to the top of the page Help

Markers

SHGC-132038 (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:173885

NoName (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:486997

NoName (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:484300

D8S1918 (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:42713

Gene Ontology Provided by GOA

Function	Evidence Code	Pubs
enables protein homodimerization activity	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed

Process	Evidence Code	Pubs
involved_in T cell chemotaxis	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in antibacterial humoral response	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in antibacterial humoral response	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in antifungal humoral response	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in antimicrobial humoral immune response mediated by antimicrobial peptide	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in antimicrobial humoral immune response mediated by antimicrobial peptide	IC Inferred by Curator more info	PubMed
involved_in antimicrobial humoral immune response mediated by antimicrobial peptide	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in antimicrobial humoral response	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in cellular response to lipopolysaccharide	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in defense response to Gram-negative bacterium	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in defense response to Gram-negative bacterium	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in defense response to Gram-positive bacterium	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in defense response to Gram-positive bacterium	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in defense response to fungus	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in disruption of plasma membrane integrity in another organism	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in innate immune response	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in innate immune response in mucosa	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in killing of cells of another organism	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
involved_in killing of cells of another organism	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info

Component	Evidence Code	Pubs
located_in Golgi lumen	TAS Traceable Author Statement more info
located_in azurophil granule	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
located_in extracellular region	TAS Traceable Author Statement more info
is_active_in extracellular space	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
located_in specific granule lumen	TAS Traceable Author Statement more info
located_in transport vesicle	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info

General protein information

Go to the top of the page Help

Preferred Names: defensin alpha 4

Names: corticostatin; corticostatin HP-4; defensin, alpha 4, corticostatin; defensin, alpha 4, preproprotein; neutrophil defensin 4

NCBI Reference Sequences (RefSeq)

Go to the top of the page Help

NEW Try the new Transcript table

RefSeqs maintained independently of Annotated Genomes

These reference sequences exist independently of genome builds. Explain

These reference sequences are curated independently of the genome annotation cycle, so their versions may not match the RefSeq versions in the current genome build. Identify version mismatches by comparing the version of the RefSeq in this section to the one reported in Genomic regions, transcripts, and products above.