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Visfatin

Function

Catalyzes the condensation of nicotinamide with 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate to yield nicotinamide mononucleotide, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of NAD. It is the rate limiting component in the mammalian NAD biosynthesis pathway. The secreted form behaves both as a cytokine with immunomodulating properties and an adipokine with anti-diabetic properties, it has no enzymatic activity, partly because of lack of activation by ATP, which has a low level in extracellular space and plasma. Plays a role in the modulation of circadian clock function. NAMPT-dependent oscillatory production of NAD regulates oscillation of clock target gene expression by releasing the core clock component: CLOCK-ARNTL/BMAL1 heterodimer from NAD-dependent SIRT1-mediated suppression (By similarity).

Pathway

Cofactor biosynthesis; NAD(+) biosynthesis; nicotinamide D-ribonucleotide from 5-phospho-alpha-D-ribose 1-diphosphate and nicotinamide: step 1/1.

Sequence similarities

Belongs to the NAPRTase family.

Tissue specificity

Expressed in large amounts in bone marrow, liver tissue, and muscle. Also present in heart, placenta, lung, and kidney tissues.

Cellular localization

  • Nucleus
  • Cytoplasm
  • Secreted
  • Under non-inflammatory conditions, visfatin predominantly exhibits a granular pattern within the nucleus. Secreted by endothelial cells upon IL-1beta stimulation. Abundantly secreted in milk, reaching 100-fold higher concentrations compared to maternal serum.

Alternative names

  • Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase
  • NAmPRTase
  • Nampt
  • Pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor 1
  • Visfatin
  • Pre-B cell-enhancing factor
  • PBEF1
  • PBEF
  • NAMPT

Target type

Proteins

Molecular weight

55521Da