Molecular and functional diversity of the oxytocinase subfamily of M1 aminopeptidases

Abstract The placental leucine aminopeptidase/insulin-regulated aminopeptidase, endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 and 2 are part of a distinct subfamily M1 aminopeptidases termed the ‘oxytocinase subfamily’. members show molecular diversity due to differential usage translation initiation sites, alternative splicing multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms. It is becoming evident that, depending on their intracellular or extracellular location, oxytocinase play important roles in maintenance homeostasis, including regulation blood pressure, normal pregnancy, retention memory trimming antigenic peptides presented major histocompatibility complex class I molecules, by acting as either binding partners specific functional proteins cells. Based moonlighting protein-like properties, it conceivable that exert pleiotropic effects during evolution, become players homeostasis.