title: Importance of hyaluronan-CD44 interactions in inflammation and tumorigenesis.
abstract: Hyaluronan is an apparently simple polysaccharide that is responsible for tissue hydration but also stimulates cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation via binding to cell surface receptors, such as CD44. The amounts of hyaluronan increase during inflammation and tumorigenesis through the action of chemokines and growth factors. This review discusses some of the evidence that hyaluronan-CD44 complexes trigger signaling cascades that modulate inflammation and tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden. Evi.Heldin@LICR.uu.se
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heldin
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karousou
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bernert
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Porsch
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishitsuka
authors.forename: Spyros S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Skandalis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid