title: Targeting integrins in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Integrins, which are heterodimeric membrane glycoproteins, consist of a family of cell-surface receptors mediating cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion. Analysis of tumor-associated integrins has revealed an important relationship between integrins and tumor development, bringing new insights into integrin-based cancer therapies. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant tumors worldwide and integrins appeal to be a novel group of potential therapeutic targets for HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review summarizes the current knowledge of integrins involved in HCC and the potential of integrin-targeted drugs in HCC therapy. A brief introduction on the structure, biological function and regulatory mechanism of integrins is given. The distinct expression patterns and biological functions of HCC-associated integrins are described. Finally, the current situation of integrin-based therapies in HCC and other tumor types are extensively discussed in the light of their implications in preclinical and clinical trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To date, increasing numbers of integrin-targeted drugs are undergoing development and they exhibit diverse effects in cancer clinical trials. Tumor heterogeneity should be emphasized in developing effective integrin-targeted drugs specific for HCC. A better understanding of how integrins cooperatively function in HCC will assist in designing more successful integrin-targeted therapeutic drugs and corresponding approaches.
authors.affiliation: Fudan University, Institute of Genetics, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Shouyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016023:Integrins