Background information
PRELP (proline/arginine-rich end leucine-rich repeat protein), also known as Prolargin, MST161, SLRR2A or MSTP161, is a 382 amino acid secreted protein that localizes to the extracellular matrix. Belonging to the Class II subfamily of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family, PRELP contains twelve LRR (leucine-rich) repeats, which are motifs consisting of 20-29 residues that are present in numerous proteins with diverse functions and provide versatile structural framework for the formation of protein-protein interactions. Highly expressed in cartilage, basement membranes and developing bone, PRELP is considered a glycosaminoglycan (GAG)- and collagen-binding anchor protein that associates with the basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan. PRELP acts as a linker between the extracellular matrix and the cell surface of proteoglycans and may be partially responsible for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria (HGP), an extremely rare genetic disorder that causes premature, rapid aging shortly after birth.
