The long pentraxin PTX3 in vascular pathology.
Pentraxins are a family of evolutionarily conserved multifunctional pattern-recognition proteins characterized by a cyclic multimeric structure. Based on the primary structure of the subunit, the pentraxins are divided into two groups: short pentraxins and long pentraxins. C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid P-component (SAP) are the two short pentraxins. The prototype protein of the long pentraxin group is pentraxin 3 (PTX3). CRP and SAP are produced primarily in the liver in response to IL-6, while PTX3 is produced by a variety of tissues and cells and in particular by innate immunity cells in response to proinflammatory signals and Toll-like receptor (TLR) engagement. PTX3 interacts with several ligands, including growth factors, extracellular matrix components and selected pathogens, playing a role in complement activation and facilitating pathogen recognition by phagocytes, acting as a predecessor of antibodies. In addition, PTX3 is essential in female fertility by acting as a nodal point for the assembly of the cumulus oophorus hyaluronan-rich extracellular matrix. Thus, the prototypic long pentraxin PTX3 is a multifunctional soluble pattern recognition receptor acting as a non-redundant component of the humoral arm of innate immunity and involved in tuning inflammation, in matrix deposition and female fertility.
Mantovani
Alberto
A
Research Laboratory in Immunology and Inflammation, Istituto Clinico Humanitas Via Manzoni, 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy. alberto.mantovani@humanitas.it
Garlanda
Cecilia
C
Bottazzi
Barbara
B
Peri
Giuseppe
G
Doni
Andrea
A
Martinez de la Torre
Yeny
Y
Latini
Roberto
R
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D011487:Protein Conformation; D021122:Protein Subunits; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099153:Pentraxins
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D008024:Ligands; D021122:Protein Subunits; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins