title: Integrins: players in cancer progression and targets in cancer therapy.
abstract: Integrins are a large family of cell surface receptors that bind extracellular matrix proteins. The interaction of integrins with extracellular matrix activates a number of intracellular signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, and other essential cell functions. Integrins are critically important to both health and disease. In this review, we first describe the structure, functions, and signaling characteristics of integrins. We then discuss the roles of integrins in cancer progression. Finally, we recapitulate the laboratory and clinical efforts of targeting integrins as effective means of cancer therapy and diagnosis. This comprehensive review could help scientists and clinicians gain a complete understanding of integrins. It could also contribute toward the development of new drugs, new methods of diagnostics, and new treatment of cancers to benefit the patients in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan bDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Chemical Biology and Pharmaceutical Sciences cDepartment of Pathology, Beijing You An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China dDepartment of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Cui-Cui
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xian-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Zu-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002465:Cell Movement; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016023:Integrins