Full title
Communications via the Small Leucine-rich Proteoglycans: Molecular Specificity in Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases
Authors
Jinyang Zeng-Brouwers, Sony Pandey, Jonel Trebicka, Malgorzata Wygrecka, Liliana Schaefer
Abstract
Inflammation is a highly regulated biological response of the immune system that is triggered by assaulting pathogens or
endogenous alarmins. It is now well established that some soluble extracellular matrix constituents, such as small leucinerich proteoglycans (SLRPs), can act as danger signals and trigger aseptic inflammation by interacting with innate immune
receptors. SLRP inflammatory signaling cascade goes far beyond its canonical function. By choosing specific innate immune
receptors, coreceptors, and adaptor molecules, SLRPs promote a switch between pro- and anti-inflammatory signaling,
thereby determining disease resolution or chronification. Moreover, by orchestrating signaling through various receptors,
SLRPs fine-tune inflammation and, despite their structural homology, regulate inflammatory processes in a moleculespecific manner. Hence, the overarching theme of this review is to highlight the molecular and functional specificity of
biglycan-, decorin-, lumican-, and fibromodulin-mediated signaling in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. (J Histochem
Cytochem 68: 887–906, 2020