protein_function: Putative adhesion molecule that mediates sialic-aciddependent binding to cells. Preferentially binds to alpha-2,3- andalpha-2,6-linked sialic acid. Also binds disialogangliosides(disialogalactosyl globoside, disialyl lactotetraosylceramide anddisialyl GalNAc lactotetraoslylceramide). The sialic acidrecognition site may be masked by cis interactions with sialicacids on the same cell surface. In the immune response, may act asan inhibitory receptor upon ligand induced tyrosinephosphorylation by recruiting cytoplasmic phosphatase(s) via theirSH2 domain(s) that block signal transduction throughdephosphorylation of signaling molecules. Mediates inhibition ofnatural killer cells cytotoxicity. May play a role in hemopoiesis.Inhibits differentiation of CD34+ cell precursors towardsmyelomonocytic cell lineage and proliferation of leukemic myeloidcells (in vitro)..
Sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 7, also known as CD328 (cluster of differentiation 328) or AIRM1, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SIGLEC7 gene. And this gene is mapped to chromosome 19. AIRM1 is a novel member of the sialoadhesin family characterized by 3 immunoglobulin-like extracellular domains (1 N-terminal V type and 2 C2 type) and a classic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) in the cytoplasmic portion. The highest amino acid sequence similarity found was with the myeloid-specific CD33 molecule, and similar to other sialoadhesin molecules, AIRM1 appears to mediate sialic acid-dependent ligand recognition.