AI Article Synopsis
- Semaphorins are proteins involved in nervous system development and axonal guidance, and they play roles in various biological processes like organ development, immunity, and blood vessel formation.
- They influence cell structure and adhesion by affecting the cytoskeleton and microtubules, signaling mainly through receptors called plexins and neuropilins.
- In cancer, particularly lung cancer, semaphorins can act as both tumor suppressors and promoters, highlighting their complex role in tumor development.
Article Abstract
Semaphorins are a large family of secreted, transmembrane and GPI-linked proteins initially characterized in the development of the nervous system and axonal guidance. Semaphorins are expressed in many tissues where they regulate normal development, organ morphogenesis, immunity and angiogenesis. They affect the cytoskeleton, actin filament organization, microtubules and cell adhesion. Semaphorin signaling is transduced by plexins, which in the case of most class-3 semaphorins requires high-affinity neuropilin receptors. The neuropilins also function as receptors for VEGF and other growth factors, and their expression is often abnormal in tumors. In cancer, semaphorins have both tumor suppressor and tumor promoting functions. We review here the current status of semaphorins and their receptors in tumor development with a focus on lung cancer.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2630718 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2008.05.032 | DOI Listing |
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