Urokinase (urokinase plasminogen activator, uPA) and its cell surface receptor (uPA receptor, uPAR) play an important role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes requiring cell migration and tissue remodeling. Using our syngeneic model of uPAR overexpression by the rat breast cancer cell line Mat B-III, we have examined the ability of the nonsteroidal antiestrogen, tamoxifen (...

uPAR's signaling two step T he uPA receptor (uPAR) is a loner. Jutting from the plasma membrane , it has no apparent connection to the cell interior. But, as Madsen et al. demonstrate on page 927, uPAR induces cells to cling tightly to a surface. The behavior might recruit other receptors and explain how the seemingly isolated uPAR exerts its infl uence. Stimulating uPAR galvanizes cells—they a...

To search for functional links between glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) protein monomer-oligomer exchange and membrane dynamics and confinement, we studied urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor (uPAR), a GPI receptor involved in the regulation of cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation. Using a functionally active fluorescent protein-uPAR in live cells, we analyzed the effect tha...

PURPOSE Although the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is expressed in gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC), its evaluation as a prognostic biomarker remains controversial. In this study, we performed a literature review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association of uPAR expression with the prognosis of patients with GC and CRC. METHOD The PubMed database was searc...

Angioinvasion is critical for metastasis with urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and tumor hypoxia-activated hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) as key players. Transcriptional control of uPAR expression by HIF has never been reported. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to test whether tumor hypoxia-induced HIF expression may be linked to transcriptional activation of...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of using plasmid-expressed RNA interference (RNAi) targeting urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor (uPAR) and uPA to treat human glioma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN In the present study, we have used plasmid-based RNAi to simultaneously down-regulate the expression of uPAR and uPA in SNB19 glioma cell lines and ...

Near infrared intra-operative optical imaging is an emerging technique with clear implications for improved cancer surgery by enabling a more distinct delineation of the tumor margins during resection. This modality has the potential to increase the number of patients having a curative radical tumor resection. In the present study, a new uPAR-targeted fluorescent probe was developed and the in ...

Mast cell and basophils express the high affinity receptor for IgE (FcɛRI) and are primary effector cells of allergic disorders. The urokinase (uPA)-mediated plasminogen activation system is involved in physiological and pathological events based on cell migration and tissue remodelling, such as inflammation, wound healing, angiogenesis and metastasis. uPA is a serine protease that binds uPAR, ...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlations and possible synergy among the urokinase‑type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) isomer D1D2 and integrin α5β1 expression levels, malignant transformation in hepatic cells and the occurrence of liver cancer. The expression site and concentration of uPAR (D1D2) were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridizat...

BACKGROUND The urokinase receptor (uPAR/CD87) is highly expressed in malignant tumours. uPAR, as a GPI anchored protein, is preferentially located at the cell surface, where it interacts with its ligands urokinase (uPA) and the extracellular matrix protein vitronectin, thus promoting plasmin generation, cell-matrix interactions and intracellular signalling events. Interaction with a complex for...