Vimentin在肿瘤转移中的作用及药物研究进展

波形蛋白(vimentin)是存在于间充质细胞中的一种中间丝蛋白,近些年研究显示vimentin与肿瘤发生、转移密切相关。波形蛋白调节细胞骨架蛋白、细胞粘附分子等蛋白间的相互作用,参与肿瘤细胞和肿瘤相关内皮细胞、巨噬细胞的粘附、迁移、侵袭和细胞信号转导。其高度动态的聚合解聚间的平衡和其复杂的磷酸化形式可能是vimentin参与肿瘤转移过程及细胞-细胞间相互作用的调节机制。Vimentin在肿瘤中的功能提示,其可能是抗肿瘤转移治疗药物研究的新靶点。

Role of vimentin in tumor metastasis and drug research

Vimentin is the major intermediate filament (IF) protein of mesenchymal cells. Recent studies have shown that vimentin was closely linked with tumorigenesis and metastasis. Vimentin could regulate the interaction between cytoskeletal proteins with cell adhesion molecules and thereby participate in cell adhesion, migration, invasion and cell signal transduction in tumor cells, tumor-associated endothelial cells and macrophages. Its highly dynamic balances between polymer and depolymerization and its complex phosphorylation may serve as the regulation mechanisms for tumor metastasis and cell-cell interactions. Vimentin is likely to be a new target for anti-metastatic therapies and research.