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Montalbano M, Georgiadis J, Masterson AL, McGuire JT, Prajapati J, Shirafkan A, Rastellini C, Cicalese L. Biology and function of glypican-3 as a candidate for early cancerous transformation of hepatocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma (Review). Oncol Rep 2017; 37:1291-1300. [PMID: 28098909 DOI: 10.3892/or.2017.5387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glypican-3 (GPC-3), a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), has recently been investigated as a player in tissue-dependent cellular signaling, specifically as a regulator of growth. Noteworthy, the regulatory protein has been implicated in both stimulatory and inhibitory pathways involving cell growth. Initially, GPC-3 was thought to act as a cell cycle regulator, as a loss-of-function mutation in the gene caused a hyper-proliferative state known as Simpson-Golabi-Behmel (SGB) overgrowth syndrome. Additionally, certain cancer types have displayed a downregulation of GPC-3 expression. More recently, the protein has been evaluated as a useful marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to its increased expression in the liver during times of growth. In contrast, the GPC-3 marker is not detectable in normal adult liver. Immunotherapy that targets GPC-3 and its affiliated proteins is under investigation as these new biomarkers may hold potential for the detection and treatment of HCC and other diseases in which GPC-3 may be overexpressed. Studies have reported that an overexpression of GPC-3 in HCC predicts a poorer prognosis. This prognostic value further pushes the question regarding GPC-3's role in the regulation and progression of HCC. This review will summarize the current knowledge regarding the clinical aspects of GPC-3, while also synthesizing the current literature with the aim to better understand this molecule's biological interactions at a molecular level, not only in the liver, but in the rest of the body as well. Due to the existing gap in the literature surrounding GPC-3, we believe further investigation of function, structure and domains, cellular localization, and other subfields is warranted to evaluate the protein as a whole, as well as its part in the study of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Montalbano
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Jeremias Georgiadis
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Ashlyn L Masterson
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Joshua T McGuire
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Janika Prajapati
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Ali Shirafkan
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Cristiana Rastellini
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Luca Cicalese
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
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