[5][6] This gene encodes a member of the family of neuronal pentraxins, synaptic proteins that are related to C-reactive protein.

This protein is involved in excitatory synapse formation.

It also plays a role in clustering of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors at established synapses, resulting in non-apoptotic cell death of dopaminergic nerve cells.

[6] Up-regulation of this gene in Parkinson disease (PD) tissues suggests that the protein may be involved in the pathology of PD This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.

This article on a gene on human chromosome 7 is a stub.