Back to your search result

Description

Urokinase plasminogen activator surface receptor (UniProt: Q9R119, also known as uPAR) is encoded by the Upar gene (Gene ID: 100689422) in Chinese hamster. uPAR is a GPI-anchored cell membrane receptor for urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), an enzyme responsible for the activation of plasmin and degradation of extracellular matrix components. Higher expression of uPAR has been reported in many human cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Its higher levels correlate with poor prognosis and early invasion and metastasis. uPAR is synthesized with a signal peptide (aa 1-18), which is subsequently cleaved off to generate the mature form, which contains three homologus domains (DI, DII, and DIII). uPAR is also reported to serve as an adhesion receptor for vitronectin and a direct interaction between uPAR and vitronectin is shown to be important for inducing changes in cell morphology, cell migration, and signaling. Blocking of uPAR activity can impair cell adhesion and migration in RAS mutated cancer cells. (Ref.: Di Mauro, C et al. (2017). Scientific Reports 7, Article number: 9388).