relaxin H2 (RLN2)

Function

• ovarian hormone that acts with estrogen to produce dilatation of the birth canal in many mammals
• may be involved in remodeling of connective tissues during pregnancy, promoting growth of pubic ligaments & ripening of the cervix
• vasodilator involved in hemodynamic changes during pregnancy

Structure

• heterodimer of a B chain & an A chain linked by two disulfide bonds
• belongs to the insulin family

Compartment

secreted

Alternative splicing

named isoforms=2

Expression

• isoform 1: expressed in the ovary during pregnancy; also expressed in placenta, decidua & prostate
• isoform 2: relatively abundant in placenta, much lower abundance in the prostate gland; not detected in ovary

Pharmacology

• serelaxin, a recombinant relaxin-2, showed some benefit for treatment of acute heart failure in a clinical trial

More general terms

• relaxin

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P04090.html
• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=6019
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:6019
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/179740