Studies over the last few decades have shown that the extracellular matrix (ECM) is not just a structural scaffold, but an essential regulator of dynamic cell communication, behaviour, and homeostasis. Because numerous studies have linked dysregulated ECM remodelling to chronic diseases, restoring a healthy cell-ECM crosstalk paves the way for innovative therapeutic approaches.
The FEBS Journal has just published a special issue on this emerging topic, entitled ‘Extracellular matrix – Proteases Crosstalk. This issue is guest edited by Prof. Nikos Karamanos (University of Patras), a renowned expert in the field, and features fifteen excellent review articles covering the many ways in which proteases dynamically affect the ECM and vice-versa. The articles are free to read and share!
Here is a quick teaser to give you a flavour of this special issue:
- Piperigkou and colleagues focuses on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as regulators of key physiological behaviours in their ‘A Guide to’ article, discussing their dysregulation in pathological contexts and highlighting recent preclinical advances in next-generation therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.
- In their State-of-the-Art review, Jurnečka et al. highlight proteolysis at the ECM through mapping the molecular architecture in terms of protease-mediated molecular turnover, while providing an update on new therapeutic strategies and ECM-mimetic scaffolds. Additionally, Solomonov et al. bring new insights into irreversible ECM proteolysis in context-dependent biological responses in both health and disease.
- Joshi and colleagues discuss the role of proteases as the catalysts of pro-LOX and pro-LOXL family protein hydrolysis, proposing a role for them as indispensable ECM remodelers with a specific focus on fibrosis.
- Recent studies highlight the emerging effects of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in shaping the ECM. Peris-Torres and Rodríguez-Manzaneque detail the interaction between ADAMTS proteases and extracellular vesicles alongside their functional roles in physiological and pathological settings.
- Martin and colleagues explore the world of degradomics as a systematic effort to map disease degradomes, proposing the immense benefits of a comprehensive proteolysis knowledgebase for diagnostics and therapeutics.
The reviews in this Special Issue reflect the complex phenotypes associated with ECM-related pathologies, additionally spanning different types of cancers and the microbiota.
Furthermore, the roles of different biological molecules and events at the ECM are also explored in depth. Selected reviews brilliantly cover the small leucine-rich proteoglycans, pericytes, stem cells, EMILIN/Multimerin protein family, collagen and elastin fibre formation, and gelatinases.
We hope you enjoy reading these excellent articles as much as we did. We’d love to hear about your favourites!