SPARC

What is SPARC protein?

SPARC (Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine), also known as osteonectin, is a protein that is expressed in various tissues and has diverse biological functions. It belongs to the matricellular protein family, which influences cell-matrix interactions and tissue remodeling.

The SPARC protein is primarily found in the extracellular matrix, where it regulates cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and tissue development. It interacts with different types of cells, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells, and plays a role in tissue remodeling during embryonic development, wound healing, and tissue repair.

What is the function of SPARC protein?

Modulates cell-matrix interactions: It binds collagen and other ECM components to regulate how cells interact with and respond to the surrounding microenvironment.

Inhibits cell adhesion: SPARC promotes cell detachment from the ECM by interfering with adhesion receptors like integrins. This affects cell spreading, migration, proliferation.

Remodels extracellular matrix: It regulates deposition and rearrangement of ECM components like collagen and their crosslinking by involving in ECM turnover processes.

Regulates growth factors: SPARC binds various growth factors like VEGF, PDGF, FGFs and alters their ECM retention and presentation to cells, thus modulating their downstream signaling.

SPARC related signaling pathway

MAPK/ERK pathway: SPARC binds to components like FGF to activate ERK signaling, regulating processes like cell proliferation and differentiation.

TGF-β pathway: It interacts with TGF-β1 and facilitates its signaling by retaining it in the ECM. This affects processes like fibrosis and EMT.

Wnt/β-catenin pathway: SPARC modulates Wnt ligand availability and signaling strength via interaction with FZD receptors and LRP co-receptors.

Notch pathway: It regulates cleavage and signaling of Notch receptors affecting cell-fate decisions during development and disease.

SPARC Related Diseases

•  Cancers: Altered levels in many cancers like breast, brain, prostate, linked to invasiveness, metastasis, and prognosis.
•  Pulmonary fibrosis: Implicated in pathogenesis by promoting collagen deposition and ECM remodeling in lungs.
•  Cardiovascular diseases: Associated with atherosclerotic plaque formation and instability. Role in post-MI cardiac remodeling.
•  Renal diseases: Involved in tubulointerstitial fibrosis during AKI and CKD through TGF-β modulation.
•  Arthritis: Expression upregulated in osteoarthritic and rheumatoid arthritis joints contributing to cartilage degradation.
•  Cancer therapy: Developing SPARC inhibitors/antagonists as anti-cancer drugs to target tumors dependent on SPARC function.
•  Anti-fibrotics: Investigating SPARC modulation as an approach to treat fibrotic diseases of lungs, kidneys, liver by interfering with ECM deposition.
•  Wound healing: Studying the role of SPARC in modulating wound repair processes like contraction, scar formation to improve outcomes.
•  Tissue engineering: Using knowledge of SPARC to develop biomaterials for regenerative approaches by regulating interactions between graft and host tissues.

•  Cancer therapy: Developing SPARC inhibitors/antagonists as anti-cancer drugs to target tumors dependent on SPARC function.
•  Anti-fibrotics: Investigating SPARC modulation as an approach to treat fibrotic diseases of lungs, kidneys, liver by interfering with ECM deposition.
•  Wound healing: Studying the role of SPARC in modulating wound repair processes like contraction, scar formation to improve outcomes.
•  Tissue engineering: Using knowledge of SPARC to develop biomaterials for regenerative approaches by regulating interactions between graft and host tissues.

SPARC has several biochemical functions, for example, calcium ion binding,collagen binding,extracellular matrix binding. Some of the functions are cooperated with other proteins, some of the functions could acted by SPARC itself. We selected most functions SPARC had, and list some proteins which have the same functions with SPARC. You can find most of the proteins on our site.

SPARC has direct interactions with proteins and molecules. Those interactions were detected by several methods such as yeast two hybrid, co-IP, pull-down and so on. We selected proteins and molecules interacted with SPARC here. Most of them are supplied by our site. Hope this information will be useful for your research of SPARC.

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