The invention relates to the molecular mechanisms controlling the functions of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPA-R, CD87). The invention shows that mannose-6-phosphate/insulin-line growth factor 2 (M6P/IGF2-R, CD222) regulates uPA/CD87-mediated plasminogen activation (Plg), cell adhesion, cell migration, TGFSS activation and apoptosis. The invention also shows that the N-terminal region of CD222 is the functionally active part for controlling the uPA/CD87 system. A peptide derived from said region in CD222 mimics the inhibiting effects of CD222 in the CD87-functions. The findings disclosed in the invention demonstrate the novel role of CD222 in regulating fibrinolysis, cell adhesion, cell migration, TGFSS-activation and apoptosis, thereby providing novel tools and cell structures to therapeutically influence said cellular functions under pathological conditions such as tumor metastasis and inflammations.
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