Section Reviews: Biologicals & Immunologicals: Extracellular matrix components and their receptors as targets for therapeutic intervention in inflammation and metastasis

Abstract

Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins significantly affect physiological function at the cellular level. Matrix proteins impart signals for growth and differentiation, influence cell shape and migration via the cyto-skeleton, effect leukocyte responses to inflammatory stimuli and play an important role in tumour metastasis. Continued contact with the ECM may in fact be essential for cell survival. Leukocyte interactions with ECM have only recently become an interesting topic of research. Different leukocyte functions, including the production of inflammatory mediators and cytokines which are potentially damaging molecules, can be significantly altered by their binding to matrices during a response to an inflammatory signal. Thus the progress and outcome of an inflammatory response can be altered by leukocyte interactions with ECM. In contrast, the role that ECM plays in tumour metastasis has been extensively studied since tumour cell proteolysis of, and interaction with, ECM proteins plays a vital role in metastasis. This review summarises some recent preclinical data in which the interaction between ECM and either cell surface receptors or soluble molecules are a target for therapeutic intervention in inflammation and metastasis.

Key Words:

• extracellular matrix
• inflammation
• metastasis
• leukocyte
• receptor