Chapter category: Cancer Metastasis
Maspin: Functional Insights from a Structural Perspective
Maspin
Edited by: Mary J.C. HendrixISBN: 1-58706-097-3
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Chapter authors:
Philip A. Pemberton
Since the seminal paper by Zou et al1 identifying the existence of the novel tumor suppressor maspin (mammary serpin), research efforts have largely focused on the mechanism of action of the protein and its utility as a prognostic indicator for other types of cancer. Maspin regulates tumor cell motility, invasion, growth, and apoptosis.2,3,4 It has also been identified as a regulator of angiogenesis.5,40 Recently, several molecular targets for maspin have been discovered which include the integrins and, more controversially, the plasminogen activators uPA and tPA.6,7,8 As the number of potential targets and our knowledge regarding the regulation of maspin function increases it would be useful to map these binding sites/functions to an overall framework of maspin structure. Despite the absence of a crystallographic structure for maspin, a model structure has been created which provides a useful starting point for this analysis33particularly in light of the wealth of published information on other serpin superfamily members, many of which exhibit similar functions.
Additional chapters from this book:
Maspin, a Potential Prognostic Marker for Human Cancers
Mickey C-T. Hu, Weiya Xia and Mien-Chie Hung
Maspin (mammary serine protease inhibitor) is a 42 kDa protein that shares significant sequence homology with several members of the serpin (serine prot...
The Role of Maspin in Human Placental Development
Anuja Dokras, Lynn M.G. Gardner, Dawn A. Kirschmann, Elisabeth A. Seftor and Mary J.C. Hendrix
The human placenta is hemochorial and displays highly regulated invasive activity and exponential growth potential. The stem cell cytotrophoblasts undergo differentiation along two...
The Role of Maspin in Tumor Progression and Normal Development
Ming Zhang
Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are comprised of a large family of molecules that play a variety of physiological roles in vivo.1-3 Not all molecules that in...
Maspin Suppresses Breast Cancer Cell Invasiveness by Modulating Integrin Expression and Function
Richard E.B. Seftor, Valerie A. Odero, Elisabeth A. Seftor and Mary J.C. Hendrix
Although the novel tumor suppressor gene maspin (mammary serine protease inhibitor) was originally isolated from normal mammary epithelium by subtractive hybridization and d...
Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Maspin Gene Expression in Normal and Tumor Tissue
Frederick E. Domann and Bernard W. Futscher
Maspin, a tumor suppressor gene, encodes a protein that has been shown to restrict breast cancer cell motility, invasion, and metastasis. Expression of the maspin gene is commonly ...
Maspin and Pericellular Plasminogen Activation in Cell-Matrix Interaction
Shijie Sheng, Hector Biliran Jr. and Richard McGowen
Maspin may offer a unique opportunity to block tumor invasion and metastasis. Maspin expression correlates with normality, and pre-malignant and/or less invasive lesions in breast,...
Maspin and Myoepithelial Cells
Sanford H. Barsky, Paul Kedeshian and Mary L. Alpaugh
Host cellular paracrine regulation of tumor progression is an important determinant of tumor growth, invasion and metastasis but one cell which has largely been ignored in this reg...
Maspin: Functional Insights from a Structural Perspective
Philip A. Pemberton
Since the seminal paper by Zou et al1 identifying the existence of the novel tumor suppressor maspin (mammary serpin), research efforts have largely focused on the mecha...
Maspin in the Sager Laboratory
Ming Zhang, Shijie Sheng and Arthur B. Pardee
Discovery of a disease-related gene marks only the beginning to a series of difficult investigations. In order to establish the functional role of the newly discovered gene, one...
Ruth Sager, Geneticist
Arthur B. Pardee
Ruth Sager named her favorite gene Maspin, mammary serpin protease inhibitor. Expression of this gene is lost in advanced breast cancers and inhibits tumor invasion and metastas...
