Serglycin in human cancers

Chin J Cancer. 2011 Sep;30(9):585-9. doi: 10.5732/cjc.011.10314.

Abstract

Serglycin belongs to a family of small proteoglycans with Ser-Gly dipeptide repeats, and it is modified with different types of glycosaminoglycan side chains. Intracellular serglycin affects the retention and secretion of proteases, chemokines, or other cytokines by physically binding to these factors in secretory granules. Extracellular serglycin has been found to be released by several types of human cancer cells, and it is able to promote the metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Serglycin can bind to CD44, which is another glycoprotein located in cellular membrane. Serglycin's function of promoting cancer cell metastasis depends on glycosylation of its core protein, which can be achieved by autocrine as well as paracrine secretion mechanisms. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate serglycin signaling mechanisms with the goal of targeting them to prevent cancer cell metastasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Autocrine Communication
  • Glycosylation
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / metabolism
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Paracrine Communication
  • Protein Binding
  • Proteoglycans / biosynthesis*
  • Proteoglycans / metabolism
  • Proteoglycans / physiology
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / physiology

Substances

  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Proteoglycans
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • serglycin