This gene encodes a nonadrenergic imidazoline-1 receptor protein that localizes to the inner layer of the plasma membrane as well as early and recycling endosome membranes. It is a scaffold protein related to Sorting nexins and it regulates protein cargo traffic. The orthologous mouse protein has been shown to influence cytoskeletal organization and cell migration by binding to alpha-5-beta-1 integrin. In humans, this protein has been shown to bind to the adapter insulin receptor substrate 4 (IRS4) to mediate translocation of alpha-5 integrin from the cell membrane to endosomes. In human cardiac tissue, this gene was found to affect cell growth and death while in neural tissue it affected neuronal growth and differentiation.[7][8]
Expression of this protein was reduced in human breast cancers while its overexpression reduced tumor growth and metastasis; possibly by limiting the expression of alpha-5 integrin.[7]
Ivanov TR, Jones JC, Dontenwill M, et al. (October 1998). "Characterization of a partial cDNA clone detected by imidazoline receptor-selective antisera". Journal of the Autonomic Nervous System. 72 (2–3): 98–110. doi:10.1016/S0165-1838(98)00094-0. PMID9851558.
Zhu H, Hayes J, Chen M, et al. (December 2003). "Relationship between platelet imidazoline receptor-binding peptides and candidate imidazoline-1 receptor, IRAS". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1009 (1): 439–46. Bibcode:2003NYASA1009..439Z. doi:10.1196/annals.1304.058. PMID15028623. S2CID21454607.
Li F, Wu N, Su RB, et al. (August 2006). "Involvement of phosphatidylcholine-selective phospholipase C in activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in imidazoline receptor antisera-selected protein". Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 98 (6): 1615–28. doi:10.1002/jcb.20806. PMID16598778. S2CID29347951.
