CD44 antigen (Hyaluronan receptor) (CD44)

CD44 is a cell-surface glycoprotein that serves as the primary receptor for hyaluronan (HA), a major component of the extracellular matrix. It plays a critical role in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, mediating processes such as cell adhesion, migration, and signaling [1, 3, 36]. CD44 is involved in various physiological functions, including lymphocyte activation, wound healing, and tissue morphogenesis [3, 8, 52]. In disease, CD44 is highly associated with cancer progression, where it acts as a marker for cancer stem cells and promotes tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance through the activation of downstream signaling pathways like PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK [1, 3, 30, 36]. Therapeutic strategies targeting CD44 include monoclonal antibodies, small molecule inhibitors of the HA-CD44 interaction, and HA-conjugated drug delivery systems designed to exploit the receptor's high expression in tumors [1, 3, 26, 42, 43]. While 'HA-receptor' is also occasionally used as an abbreviation for histamine receptors in legacy pharmacological databases, in modern therapeutic and biotech contexts, it predominantly refers to the CD44-hyaluronan axis [1, 31, 32].

Other names

Hyaluronan receptorHA-receptorPhagocytic glycoprotein 1 (Pgp-1)Homing cell adhesion molecule (H-CAM)Hermes antigenExtracellular matrix receptor III (ECMR-III)CDw44HUTCH-IEpican

Inhibition of hyaluronan-CD44 binding, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), and targeted delivery of cytotoxic agents via hyaluronan conjugation.