Gpi - glucose-6-phosphate isomerase

This gene encodes a member of the glucose phosphate isomerase protein family. A similar protein in human and mouse has been identified as a moonlighting protein based on its ability to perform mechanistically distinct functions. In the cytoplasm, the gene product functions as a glycolytic enzyme (glucose-6-phosphate isomerase) that interconverts glucose-6-phophsate and fructose-6-phosphate. Extracellularly, the protein (also referred to as neuroleukin) functions as a neurotrophic factor that promotes survival of skeletal motor neurons and sensory neurons, and as a lymphokine that induces immunoglobulin secretion. The protein is also referred to as autocrine motility factor based on an additional function as a tumor-secreted cytokine and angiogenic factor. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2014]