Integrin Function in Breast Carcinoma Progression

The differentiation and function of mammaryepithelial cells is dependent upon the combined actionof growth factor/hormone receptors and integrinreceptors, which act in concert to control the signals required for normal cell function. It is nowbecoming clear that integrin receptors also contributeto carcinoma cell behavior and that alterations inexpression and function during transformation have a large impact on breast carcinoma progression.The focus of this review is to discussintegrin-dependent functions that can be manipulated astargets for the therapeutic intervention of breastcancer. A combination of correlative and mechanisticstudies have contributed to the identification ofspecific integrin receptors, namely α2β1,α6β1, and α6β4, implicated inbreast carcinoma progression. Although this field is stillemerging and much remains to be learned, potentialintegrin-dependent signaling targets have beenidentified.