REVIEW PAPER
The selected functional activities of angiogenin
 
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Department of Medical Biology, School of Public Health, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
 
 
Submission date: 2025-02-21
 
 
Final revision date: 2025-04-09
 
 
Acceptance date: 2025-04-09
 
 
Online publication date: 2025-06-04
 
 
Corresponding author
Hanna Szymańska   

Department of Medical Biology, School of Public Health, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Żołnierska 14C, 10-561 Olsztyn, Poland. Tel.:+4889 524 61 24.
 
 
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The ribonuclease A (RNase A) superfamily contains proteins homologous to the bovine pancreatic RNase A. In humans, the family contains eight RNases 1-8, including RNase 5, also known as angiogenin (ANG). ANG is probably the oldest member of the RNase A superfamily, and is distinguished by certain details in its structure and ribonucleolytic activity that confer it distinctive functional activities.

Aim:
To present the characteristic structure of ANG and its relationship with protein functions, with particular emphasis on the selected functional activities both in physiological and pathological conditions.

Material and methods:
This article is based on the available literature. A total of 57 articles were included in the study.

Results and discussion:
Based on the literature review, the most detailed structural differences between ANG and its homologue RNase A have been explained. The structure of ANG contributes to the reduced ribonucleolytic activity and a variety of its biological functions, including the initiation of angiogenesis. The formation of blood vessel in reaction to ANG along with identified signal transduction pathways have been presented. The selected functional activities of ANG have been concisely described in the context of nucleic acid interaction processes, cellular stress response, tissue regeneration, and the antimicrobial properties of the protein. The article also discusses ANG’s role in the development and spread of cancer, neurodegeneration and others.

Conclusions:
ANG has shown a wide spectrum of functional activities in many biological processes. It seems to be a promising indicator in neoplastic, neurodegenerative and other diseases, but further research is needed.
FUNDING
None declared.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None declared.
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