The roles of integrin β4 in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Integrin heterodimers play diverse and important roles in physiological and pathological processes, such as cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, and tumor progression, via the outside‐in and/or inside‐out signaling pathways. Aberrant functions of integrins have been implicated in the causation and intervention of multiple diseases. Integrin β₄, a laminin‐5 (LN5) receptor, mainly locates in the adhesion structure of hemidesmosome (HD). Most of the previous researches concentrated on the role of integrin β₄ in cancer and cancer therapy, and a few focused on the physiological roles of normal mammalian cells. Recently, accumulating data reveal that integrin β₄ participates in cell death, macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy), senescence, and differentiation regulations in various cell types including human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), mesenchymal stem cells, and mouse neural cells, implying the key roles of integrin β₄ in the physiological alteration of mammalian cells. Thus, the elucidation of integrin β₄‐mediated signaling may undoubtedly contribute to novel therapeutic strategies for various human diseases, such as vascular and neural disorders. We have reviewed the roles of integrin β₄ in neural cells. In the present review we will discuss the recent research progress in the inherent functions and pharmacological modulation of integrin β₄ in vascular endothelial cells. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 474–478, 2012.