BACKGROUND Stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) is a chemokine that is expressed in some cancer cells and is involved in tumor cell migration and metastasis. CXCR7, a novel receptor for SDF-1, has been identified recently. Research has demonstrated that SDF-1/CXCR7 interaction could play an important role in cancer progression. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression of the SDF-1...

The stromal cell-derived factor-1/CXCL12 chemokine engages the CXCR4 and CXCR7 receptors and regulates homeostatic and pathologic processes, including organogenesis, leukocyte homeostasis, and tumorigenesis. Both receptors are widely expressed in mammalian cells, but how they cooperate to respond to CXCL12 is not well understood. Here, we show that CXCR7 per se does not trigger G(alphai) protei...

CXCR7 (RDC1), a G-protein-coupled receptor with conserved motifs characteristic of chemokine receptors, is enriched in endocardial and cushion mesenchymal cells in developing hearts, but its function is unclear. Cxcr7 germline deletion resulted in perinatal lethality with complete penetrance. Mutant embryos exhibited aortic and pulmonary valve stenosis due to semilunar valve thickening, with oc...

The lung is the most frequent metastatic site of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), negatively impacting on survival rates. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic role of the chemokine receptor CXCR7 in lung metastasis of HCC after hepatectomy, using immunohistochemical detection on tissue microarrays of HCCs, with and without lung metastasis. Using three categories based on staining character...

Recently, a novel CXCL12-binding receptor, has been identified. This CXCL12-binding receptor commonly known as CXCR7 (CXC chemokine receptor 7), has lately, based on a novel nomenclature, has received the name ACKR3 (atypical chemokine receptor 3). In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression of CXCR7 in leukemic cells, as well as its participation in CXCL12 response. Interesting, we c...

Dysfunction of early endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) is responsible for impaired endothelial repair capacity after arterial injury in patients with hypertension. Here, we hypothesized that diminished signaling of CXC chemokine receptor 7 (CXCR7) contributes to the reduced EPC functions, and enhanced CXCR7 expression restores the capacities of EPCs from hypertensive patients. CXCR7 expressio...

Chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 7 (CXCR7) and its ligand, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12), were established to be involved in biological behaviors and associated with prognosis in many cancers. However, effects, underlying mechanisms of CXCL12-CXCR7 axis in invasive phenotype of pancreatic cancer (PC) and its clinicopathologic significances have not been comprehensively explored. In...

The bicyclam AMD3100 is known as a small synthetic inhibitor of the CXCL12-binding chemokine receptor CXCR4. Here, we show that AMD3100 also binds to the alternative CXCL12 receptor CXCR7. CXCL12 or AMD3100 alone activate beta-arrestin recruitment to CXCR7, which we identify as a previously unreported signaling pathway of CXCR7. In addition, AMD3100 increases CXCL12 binding to CXCR7 and CXCL12-...

The alternative SDF-1 (stromal cell derived factor-1) receptor, CXCR7, has been suggested to act as either a scavenger of extracellular SDF-1 or a modulator of the primary SDF-1 receptor, CXCR4. CXCR7, however, also directly affects the function of various tumor-cell types. Here, we demonstrate that CXCR7 is an active component of SDF-1 signalling in astrocytes and Schwann cells. Cultured corti...

TheCXCL12/CXCR4 signaling pathway is involved in the development of numerous neuronal and non-neuronal structures. Recent work established that the atypical second CXCL12 receptor, CXCR7, is essential for the proper migration of interneuron precursors in the developing cerebral cortex. Two CXCR7-mediated functions were proposed in this process: direct modulation of β-arrestin-mediated signaling...