Biological Activity
CD151 is a transmembrane protein belonging to the tetraspanin family. It is involved in the regulation of cell-substrate adhesion, cell migration, tumor progression, cell metastasis, and angiogenesis. It possesses high binding affinity for the laminin-binding integrins (α3β1, α6β1 and α6β4) and other tetraspanins including growth factors (HGFR, EGFR and TGF-β1R) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-7, MMP-2 and MMP-9). It also controls the post-adhesion activities including cell spreading, migration, formation of metastasis, and invasion. In neoplastic and endothelial cells, it participates in tumor neovascularization. Positive expression of CD151 is associated with several types of cancers and research shows the potentiality of the gene as a prognostic biomarker of gallbladder cancer (GBC), gastric cancers.
