Anti-HPR

This gene encodes a haptoglobin-related protein that binds hemoglobin as efficiently as haptoglobin. Unlike haptoglobin, plasma concentration of this protein is unaffected in patients with sickle cell anemia and extensive intravascular hemolysis, suggesting a difference in binding between haptoglobin-hemoglobin and haptoglobin-related protein-hemoglobin complexes to CD163, the hemoglobin scavenger receptor. This protein may also be a clinically important predictor of recurrence of breast cancer. Protein function: Primate-specific plasma protein associated with apolipoprotein L-I (apoL-I)-containing high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This HDL particle, termed trypanosome lytic factor-1 (TLF-1), mediates human innate immune protection against many species of African trypanosomes. Binds hemoglobin with high affinity and may contribute to the clearance of cell-free hemoglobin to allow hepatic recycling of heme iron. [The UniProt Consortium]