Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) is a 75 kDa plasma protein that is synthesized in the liver of many verte-brates and present in their plasma at relatively high concentrations of 100-150 μg/mL. HRG is an abundant and well-characterized protein having a multidomain structure that enable it to interact with many ligands, func-tion as an adaptor molecule, and participate in numerous physiological and pathological processes. As a plasma protein, HRG has been reported to regulate vascular biology, including coagulation, fibrinolysis and angiogenesis, through its binding with several ligands (heparin, FXII, fibrinogen, thrombospondin, and plas-minogen) and interaction with many types of cells (endothelial cells, erythrocytes, neutrophils and platelets). This review aims to summarize the roles of HRG in maintaining vascular homeostasis and regulating angiogen-esis in various pathological conditions.
Keywords: angiogenesis; coagulation; histidine-rich glycoprotein; vascular biology.