Vanin-1 is a GPI-anchored glycoprotein of 513 amino acids consisting of a base domain and an enzymatic nitrilase domain (Boersma et al., 2014). The ectoenzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of pantetheine to pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and cyteamine and thus, is involved in the regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation (Maras et al., 1999). Vanin-1 has a broad tissue expression with the highest levels being observed in kidney tubular epithelial cells (Pitari et al., 2000).The GPI anchor of Vanin-1 can be cleaved by a yet unknown mechanism, resulting in Vanin-1 being shed into the extracellular space.