Role of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in inflammation

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a transmembrane protein on the cellular surface that recognizes tridimensional molecules, instead of aminoacid sequences, making this molecule capable of interacting with diverse ligands. RAGE represents an important factor in innate immunity against pathogens, but it also interacts with endogenous ligands, resulting in chronic inflammation. RAGE signaling has been implicated in multiple human illnesses, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis and aging associated diseases. In addition to advanced glycation end products (AGE), RAGE has other important ligands such as: high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1, also termed amphoterin), the group of calcium binding cellular factors S100 (also termed calgranulin), amiloid beta peptides and Mac-1, a beta-2 integrin (CD11b/CD18). Ligation of RAGE on the cellular surface triggers a series of cellular signaling events, including the activation and translocation to the nucleus of transcription factor NF-kappa B, leading to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules and oxidative stress and causing inflammation. More recent work has revealed the role of RAGE in inflammatory cell recruitment and extravasation of leukocytes across the endothelial barrier with further inflammatory events. Recent therapeutic strategies show that RAGE is an important target to treat RAGE activation-associated diseases.