该基因编码M28肽酶家族的II型跨膜糖蛋白该蛋白作为谷氨酸羧肽酶作用于不同的替代底物，包括营养叶酸和神经肽N-乙酰-L-天冬氨酸-L-谷氨酸，并在许多组织中表达，如前列腺、中枢和外周神经系统和肾脏。该基因突变可能与饮食中叶酸的肠道吸收受损有关，导致血液叶酸水平低，从而导致高同型半胱氨酸血症。该蛋白在脑中的表达可能参与了与谷氨酸兴奋毒性相关的许多病理条件。在前列腺中，蛋白质在癌细胞中上调，被用作前列腺癌的有效诊断和预后指标这个基因可能是由附近染色体区域的重复事件引起的选择性剪接导致多个转录变体编码几个不同的亚型。[由RefSeq提供，2010年7月]
This gene encodes a type II transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the M28 peptidase family. The protein acts as a glutamate carboxypeptidase on different alternative substrates, including the nutrient folate and the neuropeptide N-acetyl-l-aspartyl-l-glutamate and is expressed in a number of tissues such as prostate, central and peripheral nervous system and kidney. A mutation in this gene may be associated with impaired intestinal absorption of dietary folates, resulting in low blood folate levels and consequent hyperhomocysteinemia. Expression of this protein in the brain may be involved in a number of pathological conditions associated with glutamate excitotoxicity. In the prostate the protein is up-regulated in cancerous cells and is used as an effective diagnostic and prognostic indicator of prostate cancer. This gene likely arose from a duplication event of a nearby chromosomal region. Alternative splicing gives rise to multiple transcript variants encoding several different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2010]