Ezrin蛋白的生物学作用及其与肿瘤转移的关系

Ezrin蛋白是ERM蛋白家族中的一员,最早被发现。人体几乎所有的组织细胞中都有Ezrin蛋白的存在。Ezrin蛋白分子通过磷酸化等方式来激活,暴露其分子上的功能位点,形成具有功能分子结构。亚细胞定位在胞浆中,细胞膜与骨架蛋白之间,通过链接细胞内骨架蛋白与膜蛋白来实现其多项复杂而又重要的功能。近年来发现Ezrin蛋白存在多种功能,包括参与细胞形态学、参与免疫突触的形成,与黏附分子作用进而来调节细胞与细胞或细胞与基质间的黏附、调节细胞运动性等。最重要的是它在多种肿瘤中高表达并促进肿瘤细胞的增殖及转移等活动,参与肿瘤的发生与发展。干扰肿瘤细胞内的Ezrin蛋白表达或抑制其磷酸化后,可以明显抑制肿瘤的转移。所以,Ezrin可能成为将来抑制肿瘤转移研究的潜在靶点。

Biological Function of Ezrin Protein and its Effect on Tumor Metastasis

Ezrin is a member of ERM proteins, which was found firstly. Ezrin can be detected in almost all kinds of cells in humanbody. Ezrin transforms to an active conformation, by phosphorylation or other means. Ezrin can execute its duty when functionalsites are exposed on the active conformation. In the cytoplasm, Ezrin''s linkage of the cell membrane to the actin cytoskeleton allows it actlots of functions, which are complicate but necessary. Many important functions are found these years, such as the roles in cytomorphology,the forming of the immune synapse,regulating the adhesion between cell and cell, or cell and stroma by interacting with adhesionmolecule, regulating cell mobility and so on. Various of human tumor cells have high levels of Ezrin, the most significant is that EzrinParticipates in tumor progression and metastasis. Preventing Ezrin from phosphorylation or down regulating its level in tumor cells, themetastasis effect of tumor is restrained obviously. So, Ezrin maybe a potential target for the future oncotherapy.