uPAR ELISA Kit, Human

BACKGROUND The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) has been implicated in the growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis of several solid and hemotologic malignancies. uPAR is part of a cell surface system that also consists of the serine protease uPA and several specific inhibitors (plasminogen activator inhibitors 1 and 2).¹ This system has classically been thought to drive tumor progression by mediating directed extracellular proteolysis on the surface of migrating or invading cells. uPA can bind to uPAR leading to the subsequent activation of plasminogen to plasmin. Plasmin is a promiscuous protease that initiates several extracellular proteolytic cascades. The binding of uPA to uPAR increases the efficiency of plasminogen activation and also serves to localize these proteolytic cascades to the migrating or invading edge of cells. This proteolysis is tightly controlled by PAI-1 and PAI-2, and the PAI-uPA-uPAR complex can be internalized with uPAR being recycled to the cell surface.² Thus uPA, uPAR, and PAI-1 can all potentially be targeted for cancer therapy. In addition to mediating proteolysis, this receptor appears to also mediate cell signaling, proliferation, and survival.

 

REFERENCES  

1. Blasi, F. & Carmeliet, P.: Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell. Biol. 3:932-43, 2002
2. Mazar, A.P. : Clin Cancer Res. 14:5649-55, 2008 
 

 

ELISA Kits are based on standard sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technology. Freshly prepared standards, samples, and solutions are recommended for best results.