Peptidase Inhibitor 16 (PI16)

PI16 is a putative serine protease inhibitor. PI16 may serve as a marker following prostatectomy for prostate cancer. This protein binds with high affinity to PSP94.

PI16 expression is enhanced after serum stimulation of primary cardiomyocytes and is rapidly secreted into the conditioned medium of cardiomyocytes. PI16 is overexpressed in the hypertrophic and failing heart and inhibits cardiomyocyte growth. Suppression of endogenous PI16 expression in primary cardiomyocytes significantly enhances cardiomyocyte size. Transgenic mice overexpressing PI16 in a cardiomyocyte-specific manner show normal cardiac function but have smaller hearts with hypotrophic cardiomyocytes.