Abstract
The interaction of plasminogen with cell surfaces results in promotion of plasmin
formation and retention on the cell surface. This results in arming cell surfaces
with the broad-spectrum proteolytic activity of plasmin. Over the past quarter century,
key functional consequences of the association of plasmin with the cell surface have
been elucidated. Physiologic and pathophysiologic processes with plasmin-dependent
cell migration as a central feature include inflammation, wound healing, oncogenesis,
metastasis, myogenesis, and muscle regeneration. Cell surface plasmin also participates
in neurite outgrowth and prohormone processing. Furthermore, plasmin-induced cell
signaling also affects the functions of inflammatory cells, via production of cytokines,
reactive oxygen species, and other mediators. Finally, plasminogen receptors regulate
fibrinolysis. In this review, we highlight emerging data that shed light on longstanding
controversies and raise new issues in the field. We focus on (1) the impact of the
recent X-ray crystal structures of plasminogen and the development of antibodies that
recognize cell-induced conformational changes in plasminogen on our understanding
of the interaction of plasminogen with cells; (2) the relationship between apoptosis
and plasminogen binding to cells; (3) the current status of our understanding of the
molecular identity of plasminogen receptors and the discovery of a structurally unique
novel plasminogen receptor, Plg-RKT; (4) the determinants of the interplay between distinct plasminogen receptors and
cellular functions; and (5) new insights into the role of colocalization of plasminogen
and plasminogen activator receptors on the cell surface.
Keywords
α-enolase - actin - annexin A2 - plasminogen receptors - Plg-R
KT
- S100A10
