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α v β 6 integrin in wound healing and cancer of the oral cavity
Author(s) -
Thomas G. J.,
Nyström M. L.,
Marshall J. F.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2005.00374.x
Subject(s) - oral cavity , wound healing , medicine , cancer , integrin , pathology , dentistry , surgery , receptor
Integrins are a family of heterodimeric cell surface receptors, which are expressed on most cells where they mediate cell‐cell and cell‐extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. The αvβ6 integrin is epithelial‐specific and binds to the ECM proteins fibronectin, vitronectin and tenascin, and also to the latency associated peptide of TGF‐β. Unlike most epithelial integrins, αvβ6 is not expressed constitutively by healthy oral epithelia, but is up‐regulated during tissue remodelling, including that accompanying wound healing and carcinogenesis. Although, the data at present have been generated principally from in vitro studies, there is increasing evidence to suggest that αvβ6 may promote carcinoma progression: αvβ6 has been shown to modulate invasion, inhibit apoptosis, regulate protease expression and activate TGF‐β1. This review examines the current literature, and discusses the possible role of αvβ6 in wound healing, and in the development and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma.