EFNA1

EFNA1

A gene on chromosome 1q21-q22 that encodes ephrin-A1, a cell surface GPI-bound ligand for the Eph family of tyrosine kinase receptors, which are crucial for migration, repulsion and adhesion during neuronal, vascular and epithelial development. EFNA1 plays an important role in angiogenesis (by RAC1 GTPase activation and vascular endothelial cell migration and assembly) and tumour neovascularisation (by activating EPHA2 and downregulating it). It induces tyrosine phosphorylation, leading to its internalisation and degradation, is induced by TNF and IL1B/interleukin-1 beta, and binds to EPHA2, EPHA4, EPHA5, EPHA6 and EPHA7 receptors.