Description
This protein is a member of the semaphorin family of proteins and an important mediator of the movement and differentiation of multiple cell types, including those of the immune, vascular, and nervous systems. VEGF and SEMA4D had a positive correlation with the malignant degree of ovarian cancer, and SEMA4D can serve as an independent prognostic factor. SEMA4D was the first semaphorin described to have immune functions and serves important roles in T cell priming, antibody production, and cell-to-cell adhesion. Proteolytic cleavage of SEMA4D from the cell surface gives rise to a soluble fragment of SEMA4D (sSEMA4D). Similar to the transmembranal form, sSEMA4D is thought to have immunoregulatory properties.