Aminopeptidase gene expression in myeloma

A hallmark of myeloma is high level production of immunoglobulins leading to a heavy load on protein folding and homeostasis in tumor cells. The aminopeptidase gene family catalyze the hydrolysis of amino acid residues from proteins or peptides and are last in line for protein degradation. They are thus an important group of metalloenzymes implicated in cellular functions such as differentiation, cell cycle, DNA repair, and apoptosis. Since aminopeptidases operate downstream of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, enzymatic activity of these proteases can be utilized by peptide conjugated drugs.
Source: Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia - Category: Hematology Authors: Source Type: research