May play a role in cell protection during the inflammatory response. In epithelial cells, negatively regulates IL6 production and apoptosis through the regulation of MT2A expression .
Expressed primarily in heart, skeletal muscle, kidney, liver and placenta. Relatively high level of expression in spleen, colon and small intestine. Almost no expression in brain, thymus, lung and peripheral blood leukocytes. Expressed in epithelial cells (at protein level) .