Carboxypeptidase E (NF-α1): a new trophic factor in neuroprotection
Section on Cellular Neurobiology, Program on Developmental Neuroscience, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Abstract
Carboxypeptidase E (CPE) is a prohormone-processing enzyme and sorting receptor that functions intracellularly. However, recent studies have demonstrated that CPE acts as a trophic factor extracellularly to up-regulate the expression of a pro-survival gene. This mini-review summarizes the roles of CPE in neuroprotection and the implications for neurodegenerative diseases.
Keywords
carboxypeptidase E; NF-α1; neuroprotection; stress; neurodegenerative disease