Basement membrane proteoglycans: Modulators Par Excellence of cancer growth and angiogenesis

• Published in: Molecules and cells Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 503 - 513
• Main Authors: Iozzo, Renato V. (Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), E-mail: iozzo@mail.jci.tju.edu, Zoeller, Jason J. (Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), Nystrom, Alexander (Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 01.05.2009; 한국분자세포생물학회
• Subjects: agrin; Agrin - chemistry; Agrin - genetics; Agrin - metabolism; Allosteric Regulation; angiogenesis; Animals; Basement Membrane; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Cell Biology; Cell Growth Processes; Collagen Type XVIII - chemistry; Collagen Type XVIII - genetics; Collagen Type XVIII - metabolism; endorepellin; endostatin; Feedback, Physiological; Fibroblast Growth Factors - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; heparan sulfate proteoglycans; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans - chemistry; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans - genetics; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans - metabolism; Humans; Life Sciences; Minireview; NEOPLASMAS; NEOPLASME; NEOPLASMS; Neoplasms - blood supply; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neoplasms - pathology; Neovascularization, Pathologic; perlecan; Signal Transduction; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; 생물학; endorepellin; endostatin; agrin; angiogenesis; collagen XVIII; perlecan; cancer; heparan sulfate proteoglycans
• ISSN: 1016-8478; 0219-1032
• DOI: 10.1007/s10059-009-0069-0

Proteoglycans located in basement membranes, the nanostructures underling epithelial and endothelial layers, are unique in several respects. They are usually large, elongated molecules with a collage of domains that share structural and functional homology with numerous extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors and surface receptors. They mainly carry heparan sulfate side chains and these contribute not only to storing and preserving the biological activity of various heparan sulfate-binding cytokines and growth factors, but also in presenting them in a more "active configuration" to their cognate receptors. Abnormal expression or deregulated function of these proteoglycans affect cancer and angiogenesis, and are critical for the evolution of the tumor microenvironment. This review will focus on the functional roles of the major heparan sulfate proteoglycans from basement membrane zones: perlecan, agrin and collagen XVIII, and on their roles in modulating cancer growth and angiogenesis.