CHI3L1 gene

Patent Pending hitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), also known as YKL-40, is a secreted glycoprotein that is approximately 40kDa in size that in humans is encoded by the CHI3L1 gene.[1][2][3] The name YKL-40 is derived from the three N-terminal amino acids present on the secreted form and its molecular mass. YKL-40 is secreted by various cell-types including macrophages, chondrocytes, and some types of cancer cells. YKL-40 lacks chitinase activity due to mutations within the active site (conserved sequence: DXXDXDXE ; YKL-40 sequence: DGLDLAWL). The exact physiological role of YKL-40 is not known, but it has been implicated in development, inflammatory disease (such as asthma,[4] and cancer progression).