PAR1 plays a role in epithelial malignancies: transcriptional regulation and novel signaling pathway.

Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR(1)) is the first and prototype member of an established PAR family comprising four members. The role of PAR(1) in tumor biology has been established, and is characterized by a consistent direct correlation between overexpression of its levels and epithelial tumor aggressiveness. We have found that high expression of the human Par(1) (hPar(1)) gene in epithelial tumors is controlled largely at the transcriptional level.

Etk/Bmx regulates proteinase-activated-receptor1 (PAR1) in breast cancer invasion: signaling partners, hierarchy and physiological significance.

Background: While protease-activated-receptor 1 (PAR(1)) plays a central role in tumor progression, little is known about the cell signaling involved.

Methodology/principal Findings: We show here the impact of PAR(1) cellular activities using both an orthotopic mouse mammary xenograft and a colorectal-liver metastasis model in vivo, with biochemical analyses in vitro. Large and highly vascularized tumors were generated by cells over-expressing wt hPar1, Y397Z hPar1, with persistent signaling, or Y381A hPar1 mutant constructs.