title: Unlocking the secrets of syndecans: transgenic organisms as a potential key.
abstract: Heparan sulfate proteoglycans are known to modulate the activity of a large number of extracellular ligands thereby having the potential to regulate a great diversity of biological processes. The long-term studies in our laboratory have focused on the syndecans, one of the major cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan families. Most early work on syndecans involved biochemical studies that provided initial information on their structure and putative biological roles. In recent years, the development of transgenic organisms has allowed a more complete understanding of syndecan function. Studies with transgenic syndecan-1 and syndecan-3 mice have demonstrated an unforeseen role for syndecans in the regulation of feeding behavior. Syndecan-1 knockout mice display a reduced susceptibility to both Wnt-induced tumorigenesis and microbial pathogenesis. Experiments with Drosophila show that syndecan is first expressed upon cellularization in the early embryo, and may play a role in the early developmental stages of the fly. This review focuses on these diverse functions of the syndecans that have been elucidated by the use of transgenic mice and Drosophila as model systems.
authors.affiliation: Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave., Enders-950, Boston, MA 02115, USA. rbellin@holycross.edu
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellin
authors.forename: Ishan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Capila
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lincecum
authors.forename: Pyong Woo
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Reizes
authors.forename: Merton R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bernfield
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004330:Drosophila; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D053668:Syndecan-1; D053667:Syndecans; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C508241:SDC1 protein, human; C508242:Sdc1 protein, mouse; D053668:Syndecan-1; D053667:Syndecans; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins