Menin, the protein product of the MEN1 gene, is a component of the mixed-lineage leukemia protein (MLL)-containing histone methyltransferase complex that facilitates methylation of histone H3 Lys4 to promote transcriptional activation. Menin functions to suppress proliferation of pancreatic islet cells, at least in part through MLL-mediated activation of the p18INK4c (p18) and p27CIP/KIP (p27) cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor genes.
