Abstract
Tissue factor (TF) is a 47-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein and the main initiator of
the blood coagulation cascade. Binding to its ligand factor VIIa (FVIIa) also initiates
noncoagulant signaling with broad biological implications. In this review, we discuss
how TF interacts with other cell-surface proteins, which affect biological functions
such as cell migration and cell survival. A vast number of publications have demonstrated
the importance of TF-induced activation of protease-activated receptors, but recently
published research has indicated a more complicated picture. As it has been discovered
that TF interacts with integrins and receptor tyrosine kinases, novel signaling mechanisms
for the TF/FVIIa complex have been presented. The knowledge of these new aspects of
TF signaling may, for instance, facilitate the development of new treatment strategies
for cancer and acute coronary syndromes, two examples of diseases characterized by
aberrant TF expression and signaling.
Keywords
tissue factor - factor VIIa - intracellular signaling - cell migration - apoptosis
