Ngp-KO Mouse

Ngp, Neutrophilic granule protein, belongs to the cystatin superfamily. It plays a crucial role in regulating the body's immune response, especially in macrophages. Ngp is involved in inflammatory responses and phagocytosis processes, which are essential for the body's defense against pathogens [1].

In a study, it was observed that Ngp levels significantly increased in peritoneal macrophages isolated from mice challenged with E. coli or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) [1]. Ngp overexpression in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β via suppressing the NF-κB (p65 and p50) signalling pathway, while also inducing the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 [1]. Moreover, upregulated Ngp enhanced the phagocytosis of E. coli by RAW cells [1].

In conclusion, Ngp is an important host defense component that modulates inflammatory responses and phagocytosis by activated macrophages. These findings from mouse-based studies suggest that Ngp could potentially be a therapeutic target for treating inflammatory-based diseases [1].