The ADAMs family of proteases as targets for the treatment of cancer.

ABSTRACT: The ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteases) are transmembrane multidomain proteins implicated in multiple biological processes including proteolysis, cell adhesion, cell fusion, cell proliferation and cell migration. Of these varied activities, the best studied is their role in proteolysis. However, of the 22 ADAMs believed to be functional in humans, only approximately a half possess matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-like protease activity. In contrast to MMPs which are mostly implicated in the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins, the main ADAM substrates are the ectodomains of type I and type II transmembrane proteins. These include growth factor/cytokine precursors, growth factor/cytokine receptors and adhesion proteins. Recently, several different ADAMs, especially ADAM17, hav

SUBMITTER: Mullooly M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5004698 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature