[Biological activity of synthetic analogs of laminin active sequences: YIGSR, RGD, SIKVAV].

The invasion of malignant cells through the basement membrane is a critical step in local infiltration and metastasis. Adhesion and invasion of malignant cells may be modulated by their receptor mediated binding to the basement membrane glycoprotein-laminin. Laminin consists of the sequences with anticancer and antimetastatic activity. Its peptide fragment YIGSR is known to inhibit the experimental metastases of several tumors. This sequence and a tripeptide RGD of laminin inhibits both angiogenesis and tumor growth. In contrary, the sequence SIKVAV initiates angiogenesis and tumor progression. Moreover, laminin plays also other functions in human organism. One of them is the influence on platelet aggregation and thrombogenesis.