ENPP7

Fig1: Comparison of the Enzymes in the NPP Family. (Jianxin Duan, 2010)

What is ENPP7 protein?

ENPP7 (ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 7) gene is a protein coding gene which situated on the long arm of chromosome 17 at locus 17q25. Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 7 (ENPP7), also known as alkaline sphingomyelinase (Alk-Smase), is a member of nucleotide phosphodiesterase (NPP) family and is expressed in the intestines and humanbile. ENPP7 is a single-passtypeⅠmembrane protein, and islocalized at th esurface of the microvilla membrane in small lintestine enterocytes, as well as in endosome-like structures and in Golgicomplex. The ENPP7 protein is consisted of 458 amino acids and its molecular mass is approximately 51.5 kDa.

What is the function of ENPP7 protein?

The protein encoded by the ENPP7 gene is an intestinal alkaline sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase that converts sphingomyelin to ceramide and phosphocholine. The encoded protein ENPP7, is anchored in the cell membrane, and it may function to protect the intestinal mucosa from inflammation and tumorigenesis. This protein is glycosylated and also exhibits lysophosphatidylcholine hydrolase activity.

ENPP7 Related Signaling Pathway

Among its related pathways are sphingolipid metabolism and metabolism. It is also related to intracellular signaling, especially in the processes of cellular stress response, apoptosis and inflammation. Activation or inhibition of these signaling pathways can affect normal cell function and disease state.

ENPP7 Related Diseases

Diseases associated with ENPP7 include Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Colorectal Cancer. It plays an important role in phospholipid metabolism of nerve cell membrane, and its abnormal activity may lead to the disturbance of phospholipid metabolism of nerve cell membrane, and then affect nerve signal transmission and cell death, leading to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, etc. ENPP7 is involved in the regulation of inflammatory response, and its abnormal function may be related to the occurrence and development of inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Bioapplications of ENPP7

The application of ENPP7 in biology is mainly focused on the research of biological processes and related diseases, including neurobiological research, inflammation and immune response research, tumor biology research, drug development and so on.

Case Study 1: Jun Wu, 2004

Fig1. The perfusates collected before (fractions 1 and 2) and during trypsin perfusion (fractions 3–5) were subjected to Western blot analysis using anti-human Alk-SMase antibody.

Case Study 2: Rui-Dong Duan, 2003

Fig2. Purity of human intestinal alk-SMase after purification. Lane A, standard protein. Lane B, the original material for purification. Lane C, the purified human intestinal alk-SMase. Lane D, the purified rat intestinal alk-SMase.

ENPP7 has several biochemical functions, for example, sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase activity. Some of the functions are cooperated with other proteins, some of the functions could acted by ENPP7 itself. We selected most functions ENPP7 had, and list some proteins which have the same functions with ENPP7. You can find most of the proteins on our site.

ENPP7 has direct interactions with proteins and molecules. Those interactions were detected by several methods such as yeast two hybrid, co-IP, pull-down and so on. We selected proteins and molecules interacted with ENPP7 here. Most of them are supplied by our site. Hope this information will be useful for your research of ENPP7.