Integrins: signaling, disease, and therapy.
BACKGROUND
Integrins are a family of transmembrane receptors that mediate cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion. They are involved in stable cell adhesion and migration of cells. In addition, integrin-mediated interactions modulate the response to most, if not all growth factors, cytokines, and other soluble factors.


OBJECTIVE
In this review, we briefly explain how integrins can affect the multitude of signal transduction cascades in control of survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Subsequently, we primarily focus on targeting integrins alpha5beta1 and alphanubeta3 in disease and we discuss how antagonists of these integrins, including disintegrins, RGD peptides, small molecules, and function blocking antibodies, may be of therapeutical value either alone or, especially in the treatment of cancer, in combination with existing therapeutical strategies.
Huveneers
Stephan
S
Division of Toxicology, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Truong
Hoa
H
Danen
H J
HJ
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019483:Disintegrins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D019483:Disintegrins; D016023:Integrins; D009842:Oligopeptides; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid