Metastin/KiSS1 Proteins and Enzymes

KISS1 gene encodes metastin, also known as kisspeptin or KiSS-1 peptide, which binds to a G protein-coupled receptor GPR54. KISS1 is dominantly expressed in brain (e.g. anteroventral periventricular nucleus, AVPV arcuate nucleus, ARC), placenta, and pancreas, etc. Metastin plays an important role in regulating the GnRH secretion in brain and MMP-9 expression in placenta, which is associated with development of puberty and sex maturation (e.g. Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, IHH) as well as placentation (e.g. pre-eclampsia), respectively. Metastin was originally discovered as a tumor metastasis suppressor (e.g. melanoma, breast cancer).