Synthetic relaxins

Abstract

The relaxin subfamily of peptides within the human insulin superfamily consists of seven members including relaxin-2 and relaxin-3. The former is a pleiotropic hormone that is a vasodilator and cardiac stimulant in the cardiovascular system and an antifibrotic agent whereas the latter is primarily a neuropeptide involved in stress and metabolic control. Both possess the unique three-disulfide heterodimeric peptide structure of insulin. Consequently, the synthesis, both chemical and biological, of relaxin-2 and relaxin-3 has long represented a special challenge to further understanding their structural and functional relationships. This review highlights past and recent developments in the us..