CHAPERONE-LIKE FUNCTION OF LIPOCORTIN-1

Lipocortin 1 (LC1) is a 37 kDa member of the annexin family of protein s. It has been proposed to act as a mediator of some of the actions of glucocorticoids in antiinflammatory and immune suppressive functions. LC1 has been shown to play a role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, a nd differentiation. However, the exact biological functions of LC1 sti ll remain obscure. Here it is shown that LC1 displays a chaperone-like function. Stoichiometric amounts of LC1 suppressed thermally induced inactivation and aggregation of the test enzymes citrate synthase and glutamate dehydrogenase. LC1 was also effective in refolding guanine h ydrochloride-denatured glutamate dehydrogenase, as judged by circular dichroism spectroscopy.