Apoptotic cysteine protease, Apoptotic protease Mch 5, C/EBP alpha, CAP4, Caspase 8 precursor, CCAAT Enhancer Binding Protein alpha, CEBP, CEBP A, CEBP alpha, CEBPA, FADD homologous ICE/CED 3 like protease, FADD like ICE, FLICE, ICE like apoptotic protease 5, ICE8, MACH, MCH5, MORT1 associated CED 3 homolog, CEBPA_HUMAN.
The protein encoded by this intronless gene is a bZIP transcription factor which can bind as a homodimer to certain promoters and enhancers. It can also form heterodimers with the related proteins CEBP-beta and CEBP-gamma. The encoded protein has been shown to bind to the promoter and modulate the expression of the gene encoding leptin, a protein that plays an important role in body weight homeostasis. Also, the encoded protein can interact with CDK2 and CDK4, thereby inhibiting these kinases and causing growth arrest in cultured cells. Mutations in this gene are frequently found in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
