Hyaluronic acid-binding protein (HABP) (HABP)

Hyaluronic acid-binding proteins (HABPs), also known as hyaladherins, are a diverse group of proteins that specifically interact with hyaluronic acid (HA), a major glycosaminoglycan component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) (Day and Prestwich, 2002). This class includes cell-surface receptors like CD44 and RHAMM (Receptor for Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility), as well as structural matrix proteins such as aggrecan, versican, and link proteins (Toole, 2004). HABPs play a fundamental role in maintaining tissue structural integrity and regulating cellular behaviors, including adhesion, migration, and proliferation, by transducing signals from the ECM to the cell interior (Misra et al., 2015). In pathological states like cancer, the HA-rich ECM and associated HABPs are often upregulated, promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy (Turley et al., 2008). Therapeutic strategies targeting this system involve the use of hyaluronidases to degrade HA and improve drug delivery, or monoclonal antibodies to block HABP receptors like CD44 to inhibit oncogenic signaling (Infante et al., 2018).

Other names

HyaladherinHA-binding proteinExtracellular matrix componentsHyaluronan-binding protein

The mechanism of action involves the enzymatic cleavage of hyaluronic acid by hyaluronidases to reduce interstitial fluid pressure and facilitate the penetration of co-administered therapies, or the use of antagonists to prevent the binding of hyaluronic acid to its receptors, thereby blocking pro-survival and migratory signaling pathways (Toole, 2004; Infante et al., 2018).