EGF, Latrophilin And Seven Transmembrane Domain Containing Protein 1 (ELTD1)

ETL belongs to the secretin family of G-protein-coupled peptide hormone receptors and the EGF-TM7 subfamily of receptors. ETL mRNA expression is up-regulated in the adult rat and human heart. In situ hybridization analyses revealed expression in rat cardiomyocytes and abundant expression in vascular and bronchiolar smooth muscle cells. In COS-7 cells transfected with Myc-tagged rat ETL, rat ETL exists as a stable dimer and undergoes endoproteolytic cleavage of the extracellular domain. The proteolytic activity can be abolished by a specific mutation, T455A, in this domain. In transfected mammalian cells, ETL is associated with cell membranes and is also observed in cytoplasmic vesicles. ETL is the first seven-transmembrane receptor containing EGF-like repeats that is developmentally regulated in the heart.