Meteorin (METRN)

Meteorin (METRN) is a secreted protein primarily expressed in undifferentiated neural progenitors and the astrocyte lineage, including radial glia, within the central and peripheral nervous systems. It plays a key role in glial cell differentiation by promoting astrocyte formation from cerebrocortical neurospheres and transforming cerebellar astrocytes into radial glia-like cells with elongated processes. Meteorin also supports axonal extension in small and intermediate sensory neurons by acting on nearby satellite glia, inducing their morphological changes and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which secondarily stimulates neurite outgrowth. The protein consists of approximately 290-293 amino acids in humans and mice, with a signal peptide for secretion but no conserved motifs or transmembrane domains, and shows no significant homology to known proteins beyond its paralog Meteorin-like (Metrnl). Structurally, it features a CUB domain and an NTR domain connected by a hinge region, with predicted receptor-binding sites identified via computational modeling. While associated with rare neural disorders like Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4, Meteorin is not established as a therapeutic receptor or drug target, lacking known interacting drugs or clinical modulators. Its functions highlight potential in neural repair, but limited disease linkages and no membrane receptor identity restrict drug development opportunities.

Other names

Meteoringlial cell differentiation regulator