背景
Granulins are a family of secreted, glycosylated peptides that are cleaved from a single
precursor protein with 7.5 repeats of a highly conserved 12-cysteine granulin/epithelin motif.
The 88 kDa precursor protein, progranulin, is also called proepithelin and PC cell-derived
growth factor. Cleavage of the signal peptide produces mature granulin which can be further
cleaved into a variety of active, 6 kDa peptides. These smaller cleavage products are named
granulin A, granulin B, granulin C, etc. Epithelins 1 and 2 are synonymous with granulins A
and B, respectively. Both the peptides and intact granulin protein regulate cell growth.
However, different members of the granulin protein family may act as inhibitors, stimulators,
or have dual actions on cell growth. Granulin family members are important in normal
development, wound healing, and tumorigenesis.
