Syndecan-2 Biology and Its Role in Colorectal Carcinoma

The mammalian syndecan family of transmembrane proteoglycans comprises four members. Syndecan-2 is widely expressed, notably in mesenchymal tissues and has roles in cell adhesion, extracellular matrix assembly and its turnover, as well as concentrating ligands, such as growth factors, cytokines, and morphogens at the cell surface. Although signaling through syndecan-2 core protein is incompletely understood, research has indicated roles for this receptor in colorectal cancer. Its expression in transformed epithelia has been related to increased aggressiveness and invasive potential. At the same time, it has been shown that syndecan-2 is subject to epigenetic regulation at the level of promoter methylation. Hypermethylated SDC2 shows promise as a marker of the earliest stages of colorectal cancer and clinical trials have been established. The biology of syndecan-2 is therefore potentially relevant to the progression of this and other cancers, but further work is required to fully understand its molecular functions.