MMPs, cadherins, and cell proliferation.
Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells plays a key role in the development of pathologic processes characterized by intimal thickening. Cadherins are adhesion receptors involved in homophilic cell-cell interactions, but they can also act as signaling molecules that affect cell behavior, including proliferation, migration. and survival. The matrix-degrading metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of proteolytic enzymes that modulate tissue remodeling, proliferation, and migration by degradation of extracellular matrix proteins as well as non-matrix proteins, including cadherins. This review discusses the key links between cadherins and MMPs in cell proliferation. A greater understanding of these processes may aid with the design of new clinical therapeutic approaches for atherosclerosis and restenosis.
George
Sarah Jane
SJ
Bristol Heart Institute, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom. s.j.george@bris.ac.uk
Dwivedi
Amrita
A
D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D051176:beta Catenin
C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases