ASPN belongs to a family of leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins associated with the cartilage matrix. The name asporin reflects the unique aspartate-rich N terminus and the overall similarity to decorin (MIM 125255) (Lorenzo et al., 2001).[1]
Lorenzo P, Aspberg A, Onnerfjord P, Bayliss MT, Neame PJ, Heinegard D (Apr 2001). "Identification and characterization of asporin. a novel member of the leucine-rich repeat protein family closely related to decorin and biglycan". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 276 (15): 12201–11. doi:10.1074/jbc.M010932200. PMID11152692.
Henry SP, Takanosu M, Boyd TC, Mayne PM, Eberspaecher H, Zhou W, de Crombrugghe B, Hook M, Mayne R (Apr 2001). "Expression pattern and gene characterization of asporin. a newly discovered member of the leucine-rich repeat protein family". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 276 (15): 12212–21. doi:10.1074/jbc.M011290200. PMID11152695.
Yamada S, Murakami S, Matoba R, Ozawa Y, Yokokoji T, Nakahira Y, Ikezawa K, Takayama S, Matsubara K, Okada H (Sep 2001). "Expression profile of active genes in human periodontal ligament and isolation of PLAP-1, a novel SLRP family gene". Gene. 275 (2): 279–86. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(01)00683-7. PMID11587855.
Kizawa H, Kou I, Iida A, Sudo A, Miyamoto Y, Fukuda A, Mabuchi A, Kotani A, Kawakami A, Yamamoto S, Uchida A, Nakamura K, Notoya K, Nakamura Y, Ikegawa S (Feb 2005). "An aspartic acid repeat polymorphism in asporin inhibits chondrogenesis and increases susceptibility to osteoarthritis". Nature Genetics. 37 (2): 138–44. doi:10.1038/ng1496. PMID15640800.
Yamada S, Ozawa Y, Tomoeda M, Matoba R, Matsubara K, Murakami S (May 2006). "Regulation of PLAP-1 expression in periodontal ligament cells". Journal of Dental Research. 85 (5): 447–51. doi:10.1177/154405910608500510. PMID16632759.
Jiang Q, Shi D, Yi L, Ikegawa S, Wang Y, Nakamura T, Qiao D, Liu C, Dai J (2007). "Replication of the association of the aspartic acid repeat polymorphism in the asporin gene with knee-osteoarthritis susceptibility in Han Chinese". Journal of Human Genetics. 51 (12): 1068–72. doi:10.1007/s10038-006-0065-6. PMID17024313.
Nakamura T, Shi D, Tzetis M, Rodriguez-Lopez J, Miyamoto Y, Tsezou A, Gonzalez A, Jiang Q, Kamatani N, Loughlin J, Ikegawa S (Jul 2007). "Meta-analysis of association between the ASPN D-repeat and osteoarthritis". Human Molecular Genetics. 16 (14): 1676–81. doi:10.1093/hmg/ddm115. PMID17517696.
Shi D, Nakamura T, Dai J, Yi L, Qin J, Chen D, Xu Z, Wang Y, Ikegawa S, Jiang Q (2007). "Association of the aspartic acid-repeat polymorphism in the asporin gene with age at onset of knee osteoarthritis in Han Chinese population". Journal of Human Genetics. 52 (8): 664–7. doi:10.1007/s10038-007-0166-x. PMID17603749.
Kou I, Nakajima M, Ikegawa S (Nov 2007). "Expression and regulation of the osteoarthritis-associated protein asporin". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 282 (44): 32193–9. doi:10.1074/jbc.M706262200. PMID17804408.
Nakajima M, Kizawa H, Saitoh M, Kou I, Miyazono K, Ikegawa S (Nov 2007). "Mechanisms for asporin function and regulation in articular cartilage". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 282 (44): 32185–92. doi:10.1074/jbc.M700522200. PMID17827158.