title: Targeting tetraspanins in cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tetraspanins are a family of small proteins that cross the membrane four times and form complexes by interacting between themselves and with a variety of transmembrane and cytosolic proteins, building a network of interactions referred to as tetraspanin web or tetraspanin enriched microdomains (TEMs). These domains provide a signaling platform involved in many important cellular functions and malignant processes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors describe the methods and the rationale for targeting tetraspanins in the therapy of cancer in this review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Targeting tetraspanins in cancer may be a promising therapy due to the importance of tetraspanins in several steps of tumor formation, communication with the environment, dissemination, and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: André Lwoff Institute, Inserm U1004, Hôpital Paul Brousse, 14 Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, Villejuif 94800, France. monica.sala-valdes@inserm.fr
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sala-Valdés
authors.forename: Naouel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ailane
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boucheix
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D059470:Tetraspanins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D059470:Tetraspanins