Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase, PBEF1, Pre-B Cell Colony Enhancing Factor 1, Intracellular Nampt

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt; pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor; PBEF; Visfatin) is an 52kDA adipokine secreted by adipose tissue and involved in the biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Two forms of Nampt exist, an intracellular form (iNampt) and an extracellular form (eNampt). While the function of iNampt as an essential and rate-limiting NAD+ biosynthetic enzyme is well established, the physiological role of eNampt is still a matter of debate. It has been shown that Nampt expression is increased in different diseases, like diabetes, obesity, fetal growth retardation, sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Furthermore, Nampt might be a marker of pre-eclampsia and of endothelial health.