ADAM23
ADAM23 is another protease-dead member of the family, distinguished from ADAM22 by its stronger expression in specific neuronal populations and its distinct developmental role. In the brain it partners with ADAM22 and LGI1 to stabilize excitatory synapses, and disruption of this triad impairs AMPA receptor trafficking. Outside the nervous system, ADAM23 acts as a cell-adhesion molecule, and reduced expression through promoter methylation has been reported in gliomas and several other cancers, supporting a tumor-suppressive character. Recombinant ADAM23 is used in synapse biology and cancer epigenetics research. Expression is prominent in cerebellum and cerebral cortex, and mouse studies of Adam23 deficiency have reported motor deficits consistent with disturbed synaptic circuitry.
