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©2009 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
Proteinases and their inhibitors in liver cancer
Verena Puxbaum, Lukas Mach, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, Vienna A-1190, Austria
Author contributions: Puxbaum V and Mach L co-wrote the manuscript.
Supported by The Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Project 16925 (awarded to Lukas Mach)
Correspondence to: Dr. Lukas Mach, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, Vienna A-1190, Austria. lukas.mach@boku.ac.at
Telephone: +43-1-360066360 Fax: +43-1-360066392
Received: July 2, 2009
Revised: September 5, 2009
Accepted: September 12, 2009
Published online: October 31, 2009
Revised: September 5, 2009
Accepted: September 12, 2009
Published online: October 31, 2009
Abstract
Proteinases are known to be involved in many cancer-related processes, particularly in the breakdown of extracellular matrix barriers in the course of tumor invasion and metastasis. In this review we summarize the current knowledge about the role of the most important matrix-degrading proteinases (cathepsins, matrix metalloproteinases, plasmin/plasminogen activators) and their respective inhibitors in liver cancer progression and metastasis.
Keywords: Cathepsin; Cystatin; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Metalloproteinase; Plasminogen activator; Tumor invasion; Metastasis