Parabutoporin--an antibiotic peptide from scorpion venom--can both induce activation and inhibition of granulocyte cell functions.

Parabutoporin (PP) affects motility and NADPH oxidase activity in normal human polymorphonuclear neutrophils and in granulocytic HL-60 cells. These PP-induced interactions utilize a Rac activation pathway. PP induces chemotaxis of neutrophils and HL-60 cells via a pertussis toxin-sensitive way, thus using trimeric G-proteins.

Plasmin produces an E-cadherin fragment that stimulates cancer cell invasion.

Matrix metalloproteases from the cell surface cleave an 80 kDa E-cadherin fragment (sE-CAD) that induces invasion of cancer cells into collagen type I and inhibits cellular aggregation. Conditioned media from MDCKts.srcCl2 cells at 40 degrees C and 35 degrees C, PCm.