The multifaceted roles of perlecan in fibrosis

• Published in: Matrix biology 2018-08, Vol.68-69, p.150-166
• Main Authors: Lord, Megan S., Tang, Fengying, Rnjak-Kovacina, Jelena, Smith, James G.W., Melrose, James, Whitelock, John M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Blood vessels; Cell Adhesion; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Collagen; Collagen - metabolism; Extracellular matrix; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Fibrosis; Heparan sulfate; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans - chemistry; Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans - metabolism; Humans; Inflammation; Kidneys; Liver; Mitogens; Perlecan; Proteoglycan; Regeneration; Skin; Wound healing
• ISSN: 0945-053X; 1569-1802
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2018.02.013

Perlecan, or heparan sulfate proteoglycan 2 (HSPG2), is a ubiquitous heparan sulfate proteoglycan that has major roles in tissue and organ development and wound healing by orchestrating the binding and signaling of mitogens and morphogens to cells in a temporal and dynamic fashion. In this review, its roles in fibrosis are reviewed by drawing upon evidence from tissue and organ systems that undergo fibrosis as a result of an uncontrolled response to either inflammation or traumatic cellular injury leading to an over production of a collagen-rich extracellular matrix. This review focuses on examples of fibrosis that occurs in lung, liver, kidney, skin, kidney, neural tissues and blood vessels and its link to the expression of perlecan in that particular organ system. •The roles of perlecan in fibrosis are similar across different tissue types.•Perlecan can contribute to and control fibrogenesis depending on temporal expression levels.•Perlecan's roles in fibrosis are ascribed to both its glycosaminoglycan chains and protein core.