Embracing the complexity of matricellular proteins: the functional and clinical significance of splice variation

• Published in: Biomolecular concepts Vol. 7; no. 2; p. 117
• Main Authors: Viloria, Katrina, Hill, Natasha J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.05.2016
• Subjects: Alternative Splicing; Animals; Cell Adhesion Molecules - chemistry; Cell Adhesion Molecules - genetics; Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - chemistry; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - genetics; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation; Genetic Association Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Neoplasms - diagnosis; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - metabolism; Osteopontin - genetics; Osteopontin - metabolism; Protein Binding; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; Protein Isoforms; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Tenascin - antagonists & inhibitors; Tenascin - genetics; Tenascin - metabolism
• ISSN: 1868-503X

Matricellular proteins influence wide-ranging fundamental cellular processes including cell adhesion, migration, growth and differentiation. They achieve this both through interactions with cell surface receptors and regulation of the matrix environment. Many matricellular proteins are also associated with diverse clinical disorders including cancer and diabetes. Alternative splicing is a precisely regulated process that can produce multiple isoforms with variable functions from a single gene. To date, the expression of alternate transcripts for the matricellular family has been reported for only a handful of genes. Here we analyse the evidence for alternative splicing across the matricellular family including the secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), thrombospondin, tenascin and CCN families. We find that matricellular proteins have double the average number of splice variants per gene, and discuss the types of domain affected by splicing in matricellular proteins. We also review the clinical significance of alternative splicing for three specific matricellular proteins that have been relatively well characterised: osteopontin (OPN), tenascin-C (TNC) and periostin. Embracing the complexity of matricellular splice variants will be important for understanding the sometimes contradictory function of these powerful regulatory proteins, and for their effective clinical application as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.