The Urokinase Receptor: A Multifunctional Receptor in Cancer Cell Biology. Therapeutic Implications.
Int J Mol Sci
; 22(8)2021 Apr 16.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33923400
ABSTRACT
Proteolysis is a key event in several biological processes; proteolysis must be tightly controlled because its improper activation leads to dramatic consequences. Deregulation of proteolytic activity characterizes many pathological conditions, including cancer. The plasminogen activation (PA) system plays a key role in cancer; it includes the serine-protease urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). uPA binds to a specific cellular receptor (uPAR), which concentrates proteolytic activity at the cell surface, thus supporting cell migration. However, a large body of evidence clearly showed uPAR involvement in the biology of cancer cell independently of the proteolytic activity of its ligand. In this review we will first describe this multifunctional molecule and then we will discuss how uPAR can sustain most of cancer hallmarks, which represent the biological capabilities acquired during the multistep cancer development. Finally, we will illustrate the main data available in the literature on uPAR as a cancer biomarker and a molecular target in anti-cancer therapy.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Biomarkers, Tumor
/
Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Mol Sci
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy