Methionyl Aminopeptidase 1 (METAP1)

By sequencing clones obtained from a size-fractionated human myeloid leukemia cell line cDNA library, Nagase et al. (1995) cloned METAP1, which they designated KIAA0094. The deduced 394-amino acid protein shares 51.8% amino acid identity with S. cerevisiae Metap1. Northern blot analysis detected intermediate expression of Metap1 in skeletal muscle and low expression in all other tissues and cell lines examined.

The inhibition of new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) is an effective means of limiting both the size and metastasis of solid tumors. One of the leading angiogenic compounds, fumagillin and its derivative TNP-470, inhibits neovascularization via endothelial cell cycle arrest in the late G1 phase.