Heparanase, a β-D-endoglucuronidase abundant in platelets that was discovered 30 years ago, is an enzyme that cleaves heparan sulfate side chains on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix. It was later recognized as being a pro-inflammatory and pro-metastatic protein. We had earlier demonstrated that heparanase may also affect the hemostatic system in a non-enzymatic manner. We had sh...

Heparan sulfate (HS) in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is important for regulation of the charge-dependent permeability. Heparanase has been implicated in HS degradation in several proteinuric diseases. This study analyzed the role of heparanase in HS degradation in Adriamycin nephropathy (AN), a model of chronic proteinuria-induced renal damage. Expression of heparanase, HS, and the co...

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are potent regulators of vascular remodeling and repair. Heparanase is the major enzyme capable of degrading heparan sulfate in mammalian cells. Here we examined the role of heparanase in controlling arterial structure, mechanics, and remodeling. In vitro studies supported that heparanase expression in endothelial cells serves as a negative regulator of end...

In an attempt to isolate a heparanase receptor, postulated to mediate non-enzymatic functions of the heparanase protein, we utilized human urine collected from healthy volunteers. Affinity chromatography of this rich protein source on immobilized heparanase revealed resistin as a heparanase binding protein. Co-immunoprecipitation and ELISA further confirmed the interaction between heparanase an...

Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that degrades heparan sulfate, the main polysaccharide constituent of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and basement membrane. Expression of the heparanase gene is associated with the invasion and metastatic potential of a variety of tumor-derived cell types. However, the roles of heparanase in the regulation of gene expression and the subsequent cell function chan...

BACKGROUND A reduced heparan sulphate (HS) expression in the glomerular basement membrane of patients with overt diabetic nephropathy is associated with an increased glomerular heparanase expression. We investigated the possible association of urinary heparanase activity with the development of proteinuria in patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1D), Type 2 diabetes (T2D), or membranous glomerulopat...

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are highly invasive; however the identity of downstream effectors responsible for their aggressive phenotype remains underinvestigated. Here, we report that HPV-mediated up-regulation of heparanase enzyme can provide mechanistic explanation for augmented invasiveness of HPV-positive HNSCCs. Heparanase ...

BACKGROUND Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) provides renoprotection in adriamycin nephropathy (AN), along with a decrease in overexpression of glomerular heparanase. Angiotensin II (AngII) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to regulate heparanase expression in vivo. However, it is unknown whether this is also the case for aldosterone. Therefore, we further ...

Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that specifically cleaves heparan sulphate side chains of heparan sulphate proteoglycans, activity that is strongly implicated in cell migration and invasion associated with tumour metastasis, angiogenesis and inflammation. Heparanase up-regulation was documented in an increasing number of human carcinomas, correlating with reduced post-operative survival rate a...

Vascular cell adhesion molecules, P- and L-selectins, facilitate metastasis of cancer cells in mice by mediating interactions with platelets, endothelium, and leukocytes. Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that degrades heparan sulfate of extracellular matrix, thereby promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. Heparin is known to efficiently attenuate metastasis in different tumor models. Here we i...