[Progress on the role of integrin in tumor immunity: Review].

ABSTRACT

Integrins are transmembrane glycoproteins expressed on the surface of various cells. They can conduct bidirectional signal transduction across cell membranes, exchange information between extracellular matrix proteins and intracellular molecules, and regulate cell adhesion and activation. During cancer development, integrins mediate crucial regulatory functions in anti-tumor response including tumor antigen uptake, activation of tumor-specific T cells, leukocyte trafficking into the tumor site and tumor cell killing. We provided a comprehensive overview of the structure of integrins, immune regulation, effects of integrins on tumor immunity and covered in vivo and in vitro studies of tissue culture, animal models of human diseases and gene knockout animals as well as the progress in clinical diagnosis and therapy of tumors.