Aberrant tumor cell-surface proteases

Aberrant tumor cell-surface proteases refer to a heterogeneous group of enzymes abnormally expressed or activated on the surfaces of cancer cells. These proteases—such as matrix metalloproteases, serine proteases (including urokinase-type plasminogen activator), and certain cysteine proteases (e.g., cathepsins)—are crucial for the degradation of extracellular matrix components, facilitating tumor invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Their dysregulation is a hallmark of aggressive cancers, making them attractive therapeutic targets. However, as their expression is not restricted to cancer cells and they are involved in many normal physiological processes, targeting these proteases poses safety and specificity challenges. This entry describes a functional class of targets rather than a canonical single molecule or receptor. For structured data, it is recommended to specify the exact protease of interest (e.g., Matrix metalloproteinase-9, Urokinase-type plasminogen activator).

Other names

Tumor-associated proteasesCancer cell-surface proteasesAberrant surface proteases in tumorsTumor extracellular proteases

Inhibition of proteolytic activity, Blocking extracellular matrix degradation, Prevention of tumor cell migration and invasion