Abstract
The study of the heparanase has long been paid wide attention. Heparanase, an endo-β-D-glucuronidase, is capable of specifically degrading heparan sulfate (HS), one of the excellular matrix (ECM) components. It exerts its enzymatic activity catalyzing the cleavage of the β (1,4)-glycosidic bond between glucuronic acid and glucosamine residue. HS cleavage results in remodelling of the extracellular matrix as well as in regulating the release of many HS-linked molecules such as growth factors, cytokines and enzymes involved in inflammation, wound healing and tumour invasion. Varieties of experiments indicated that heparanase mRNA is overexpressed in human tumors, including breast cancer, gastrointestinal tumors, and esophageal carcinomas. A pro-metastatic and pro-angiogenic role for heparanase has been widely verified and high levels of heparanase correlate with reduced survival of cancer patients. Except protumor function, heparanase also plays a role in inflammation, angiogenesis, placentas and procoagulant activities.
Heparanase is found to have many other functions in recent years, since many experiments have been carried out to identify this significant enzyme’s new features. These newly found functions are related to the cellular activities such as autophagy and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). And together with other heparanase functions, autophagy and EMT are verified to be involved in several clinical disorders, for example, renal diseases. Considering that, once inactivated, there are no other enzymes capable of performing the same function, it is apparent that heparanase can be an effective and promising therapy target. This short review aims to establish the currently known function of this enzyme and provide evidence for heparanase targeted therapy.Keywords: Heparanase, function, diseases, tumor, inflammation.
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry
Title:The Functions of Heparanase in Human Diseases
Volume: 17 Issue: 6
Author(s): Hao Jin and Shaobo Zhou
Affiliation:
Keywords: Heparanase, function, diseases, tumor, inflammation.
Abstract: The study of the heparanase has long been paid wide attention. Heparanase, an endo-β-D-glucuronidase, is capable of specifically degrading heparan sulfate (HS), one of the excellular matrix (ECM) components. It exerts its enzymatic activity catalyzing the cleavage of the β (1,4)-glycosidic bond between glucuronic acid and glucosamine residue. HS cleavage results in remodelling of the extracellular matrix as well as in regulating the release of many HS-linked molecules such as growth factors, cytokines and enzymes involved in inflammation, wound healing and tumour invasion. Varieties of experiments indicated that heparanase mRNA is overexpressed in human tumors, including breast cancer, gastrointestinal tumors, and esophageal carcinomas. A pro-metastatic and pro-angiogenic role for heparanase has been widely verified and high levels of heparanase correlate with reduced survival of cancer patients. Except protumor function, heparanase also plays a role in inflammation, angiogenesis, placentas and procoagulant activities.
Heparanase is found to have many other functions in recent years, since many experiments have been carried out to identify this significant enzyme’s new features. These newly found functions are related to the cellular activities such as autophagy and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). And together with other heparanase functions, autophagy and EMT are verified to be involved in several clinical disorders, for example, renal diseases. Considering that, once inactivated, there are no other enzymes capable of performing the same function, it is apparent that heparanase can be an effective and promising therapy target. This short review aims to establish the currently known function of this enzyme and provide evidence for heparanase targeted therapy.Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Jin Hao and Zhou Shaobo, The Functions of Heparanase in Human Diseases, Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry 2017; 17 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389557516666161101143643
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389557516666161101143643 |
Print ISSN 1389-5575 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5607 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Bioprospecting of Natural Products as Sources of New Multitarget Therapies
According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, bioprospecting is the exploration of biodiversity and indigenous knowledge to develop commercially valuable products for pharmaceutical and other applications. Bioprospecting involves searching for useful organic compounds in plants, fungi, marine organisms, and microorganisms. Natural products traditionally constituted the primary source of more than ...read more
Computational Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry
The thematic issue "Computational Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry" provides a robust platform for delving into state-of-the-art computational methodologies and technologies that significantly propel advancements in medicinal chemistry. This edition seeks to amalgamate top-tier reviews spotlighting the latest trends and breakthroughs in the fusion of computational approaches, including artificial intelligence (AI) ...read more
Natural Products and Dietary Supplements in Alleviation of Metabolic, Cardiovascular, and Neurological Disorders
Metabolic disorders like diabetes, obesity, inflammation, oxidative stress, cancer etc, cardiovascular disorders like angina, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure etc as well as neurological disorders like Alzheimer?s, Parkinson?s, Epilepsy, Depression, etc are the global burden. They covered the major segment of the diseases and disorders from which the human community ...read more
Natural Products in Drug Discovery
Natural products have always been one of the important ways of drug discovery due to their novel skeleton and diverse functional group characteristics. According to statistics, between 1981 and 2019, the FDA approved a total of 1,394 small molecule drugs for marketing, of which 930 marketed drugs originated from the ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Developments of Polo-like Kinase 1 (Plk1) Inhibitors as Anti-Cancer Agents
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Interrelationships of Circulating Tumor Cells with Metastasis and Thrombosis: Role of MicroRNAs
Current Pharmaceutical Design Integrin Function and Signaling as Pharmacological Targets in Cardiovascular Diseases and in Cancer
Current Pharmaceutical Design Cancer Cell Cannibalism: A Primeval Option to Survive.
Current Molecular Medicine Smart Synthetic Polymer Nanocarriers for Controlled and Site-Specific Drug Delivery
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry ATP-Binding Cassette Efflux Transporters in Human Placenta
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Gene and Stem Cell Therapy in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction and Pulmonary Hypertension; Potential Treatments for the Common Problem of Endothelial Dysfunction
Current Gene Therapy Heparanase: Structure, Biological Functions, and Inhibition by Heparin-Derived Mimetics of Heparan Sulfate
Current Pharmaceutical Design Novel Mechanisms of Anticancer Activities of Green Tea Component Epigallocatechin- 3-Gallate
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Ubiquitination in Rho Signaling
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Long Noncoding RNA MALAT1: Insights into its Biogenesis and Implications in Human Disease
Current Pharmaceutical Design Growth Responses Following a Single Intra-Muscular hGH Plasmid Administration Compared to Daily Injections of hGH in Dwarf Mice
Current Gene Therapy Analysis of miRNAs Targeting 3’UTR of H2AFX Gene: a General <i>in Silico</i> Approach
MicroRNA Ganoderma lucidum: A Potential for Biotechnological Production of Anti-Cancer and Immunomodulatory Drugs
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Squalamine as an Example of a New Potent Antimicrobial Agents Class: A Critical Review
Current Medicinal Chemistry HIF-1α Modulates Energy Metabolism in Cancer Cells by Inducing Over-Expression of Specific Glycolytic Isoforms
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Cancer and Treatment Modalities
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Epigenetic Control Using Natural Products and Synthetic Molecules
Current Medicinal Chemistry May Patients with Alcohol Liver Disease Benefit from Herbal Medicines?
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Current State of ERG as Biomarker in Prostatic Adenocarcinoma
Current Cancer Drug Targets