title: Novel interactions of perlecan: unraveling perlecan's role in angiogenesis.
abstract: Perlecan, a highly conserved and ubiquitous basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is essential for life, inasmuch as its absence results in embryonic lethality in mice and C. elegans, and neonatal lethality in humans. Perlecan plays an essential role in vasculogenesis and chondrogenesis, as well as in pathological states where these processes are maladapted. Although a large body of evidence supports a pro-angiogenic role for perlecan, recent findings suggests that portions of the perlecan protein core can be antiangiogenic, requiring a further evaluation of the functioning of this complex molecule. This review is focused on the genetics of mammalian and nonmammalian perlecan, the elucidation of its novel interacting partners and its role in angiogenesis. By more fully understanding perlecan's functioning in angiogenesis, we may gain invaluable insight that could lead to therapeutic interventions in cancer and other pathologic states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bix
authors.forename: Renato V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Iozzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C071927:perlecan