The long pentraxin PTX3 in vascular pathology

• Published in: Vascular pharmacology Vol. 45; no. 5; pp. 326 - 330
• Main Authors: Mantovani, Alberto, Garlanda, Cecilia, Bottazzi, Barbara, Peri, Giuseppe, Doni, Andrea, Martinez de la Torre, Yeny, Latini, Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.11.2006
• Subjects: Animals; Biomarkers - metabolism; C-Reactive Protein - chemistry; C-Reactive Protein - immunology; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiovascular Diseases - immunology; Cardiovascular Diseases - metabolism; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Female; Fertility - immunology; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Inflammation - immunology; Inflammation - metabolism; Ligands; Pentraxin; Protein Conformation; Protein Subunits; PTX3; Serum Amyloid P-Component - chemistry; Serum Amyloid P-Component - immunology; Serum Amyloid P-Component - metabolism; Vascular pathology; PTX3; Pentraxin; Vascular pathology
• ISSN: 1537-1891; 1879-3649
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2006.08.011

Pentraxins are a family of evolutionarily conserved multifunctional pattern-recognition proteins characterized by a cyclic multimeric structure. Based on the primary structure of the subunit, the pentraxins are divided into two groups: short pentraxins and long pentraxins. C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid P-component (SAP) are the two short pentraxins. The prototype protein of the long pentraxin group is pentraxin 3 (PTX3). CRP and SAP are produced primarily in the liver in response to IL-6, while PTX3 is produced by a variety of tissues and cells and in particular by innate immunity cells in response to proinflammatory signals and Toll-like receptor (TLR) engagement. PTX3 interacts with several ligands, including growth factors, extracellular matrix components and selected pathogens, playing a role in complement activation and facilitating pathogen recognition by phagocytes, acting as a predecessor of antibodies. In addition, PTX3 is essential in female fertility by acting as a nodal point for the assembly of the cumulus oophorus hyaluronan-rich extracellular matrix. Thus, the prototypic long pentraxin PTX3 is a multifunctional soluble pattern recognition receptor acting as a non-redundant component of the humoral arm of innate immunity and involved in tuning inflammation, in matrix deposition and female fertility.