Synonyms
Definition
The semaphorins (abbreviated SEMA) constitute a family of genes encoding secreted and membrane-associated proteins which share a common domain called the sema domain.
The name semaphorin is derived from the Greek words “sema” meaning “signal” and “phor” which means “to carry.” This name was given to semaphorins owing to the function of the first semaphorins as guidance cues for axonal growth cones.
Characteristics
Subclasses
To date, the semaphorin family comprises 21 different members in vertebrates, 5 different members in invertebrates, and 2 virus-encoded members. All semaphorins contain an approximately 500 amino acid extracellular sema domain and a class-specific carboxy terminus that may encompass additional sequence motifs. At present, the known semaphorins are divided among 8 subclasses based on these structural features and phylogenetic analysis. The characteristics of individual...
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References
Cagnoni G, Tamagnone L (2014) Semaphorin receptors meet receptor tyrosine kinases on the way of tumor progression. Oncogene 33(40):4795–4802
Casazza A et al (2010) Sema3E-Plexin D1 signaling drives human cancer cell invasiveness and metastatic spreading in mice. J Clin Invest 120:2684–2698
Hung RJ et al (2010) Mical links semaphorins to F-actin disassembly. Nature 463(7282):823–827
Kumanogoh A, Kikutani H (2013) Immunological functions of the neuropilins and plexins as receptors for semaphorins. Nat Rev Immunol 13(11):802–814
Love CA et al (2003) The ligand-binding face of the semaphorins revealed by the high-resolution crystal structure of SEMA4D. Nat Struct Biol 10:843–848
Luchino J et al (2013) Semaphorin 3E suppresses tumor cell death triggered by the plexin D1 dependence receptor in metastatic breast cancers. Cancer Cell 24(5):673–685
Nasarre P, Gemmill RM, Drabkin HA (2014) The emerging role of class-3 semaphorins and their neuropilin receptors in oncology. Onco Targets Ther 7:1663–1687
Neufeld G, Kessler O (2008) The semaphorins: versatile regulators of tumor progression and tumor angiogenesis. Nat Rev Cancer 8(8):632–645
Semaphorin Nomenclature Committee (1999) Unified nomenclature for the semaphorin/collapsins. Cell 97:551–552
Tamagnone L (2012) Emerging role of semaphorins as major regulatory signals and potential therapeutic targets in cancer. Cancer Cell 22(2):145–152
Worzfeld T, Offermanns S (2014) Semaphorins and plexins as therapeutic targets. Nat Rev Drug Discov 13(8):603–621
See Also
(2012) Adult T-cell leukemia. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 100. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_126
(2012) Autocrine signaling. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 311. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_470
(2012) Colorectal cancer. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 916. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_1265
(2012) Cytokine. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 1051. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_1473
(2012) β Propeller. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 3005. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_4771
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Christensen, C., Tamagnone, L. (2015). Semaphorin. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46875-3_5232
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46875-3_5232
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