Methionine aminopeptidase 2 and cancer.
Methionine aminopeptidase (MetAP) is a bifunctional protein that plays a critical role in the regulation of post-translational processing and protein synthesis. In yeasts and humans, two proteins are known to possess MetAP activity, which are known as MetAP1 and MetAP2. MetAP2 has attracted much more attention than MetAP1 due to the discovery of MetAP2 as a target molecule of the anti-angiogenic compounds, fumallin and ovalicin. MetAP2 plays an important role in the development of different types of cancer. Recently, we observed a high expression of MetAP2 in human colorectal cancer tissues and colon cancer cell lines. In addition, pp60(c-src) expression was correlated with the expression of MetAP2 and N-myristoyltransferase. In this review, we discuss the recent developments of MetAP2 and its inhibitors. Future detailed studies related to MetAP2 and apoptosis will shed light on the involvement of this enzyme in the regulation of various apoptotic factors.
Selvakumar
Ponniah
P
Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and Health Research Division, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, University of Saskatchewan, 20 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 4H4.
Lakshmikuttyamma
Ashakumary
A
Dimmock
Jonathan R
JR
Sharma
Rajendra K
RK
D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000502:physiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D000626:Aminopeptidases; C106541:methionine aminopeptidase 2; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases