title: Nampt: linking NAD biology, metabolism and cancer.
abstract: Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) converts nicotinamide to nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a key nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) intermediate. Previously identified as a cytokine pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor and controversially claimed as an insulin-mimetic hormone visfatin, Nampt has recently drawn much attention in several fields, including NAD biology, metabolism and inflammation. As a NAD biosynthetic enzyme, Nampt regulates the activity of NAD-consuming enzymes such as sirtuins and influences a variety of metabolic and stress responses. Nampt also plays an important part in regulating insulin secretion in pancreatic beta-cells. Nampt seems to have another function as an immunomodulatory cytokine and, therefore, has a role in inflammation. This review summarizes these various functional aspects of Nampt and discusses its potential roles in diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cancer.
authors.affiliation: University of Leipzig, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Research Laboratory, Oststr. 21-25, 04317 Leipzig, Germany. antje.garten@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garten
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petzold
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Körner
authors.forename: Shin-Ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Wieland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kiess
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009243:NAD; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase