Integrin-linked kinase (ILK): a regulator of integrin and growth-factor signalling.
Interaction of cells with the extracellular matrix (ECM) results in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation and migration by coordinated signal transduction through integrins and growth-factor receptors. Integrins achieve signalling by interacting with intracellular effectors that couple integrins and growth-factor receptors to downstream components. One well-studied effector is focal-adhesion kinase (FAK), but recently another protein kinase, integrin-linked kinase (ILK), has been identified as a receptor-proximal effector of integrin and growth-factor signalling. ILK appears to interact with and be influenced by a number of different signalling pathways, and this provides new routes for integrin-mediated signalling. This article discusses ILK structure and function and recent genetic and biochemical evidence about the role of ILK in signal transduction.
Dedhar
S
S
BC Cancer Agency and Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of BC, Jack Bell Research Centre, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6H 3ZH. sdedhar@interchange.ubc.ca
Williams
B
B
Hannigan
G
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK
D006133:Growth Substances; D016023:Integrins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK