Hyaluronic acid-CD44 interaction in the stem cell niche

Abstract

The CD44 protein is a single-chain transmembrane glycoprotein able to bind several ligands. Hyaluronic acid is its main ligand and this interaction is the most extensively studied. Hyaluronic acid, as a component of the extracellular matrix, through CD44 is able to modulate several mechanisms that control stem cell behavior, such as migration and anchorage, efflux of toxic compounds, growth in hypoxic conditions and quiescence, besides their self-renewal and differentiation potential. In this chapter we describe the hyaluronic acid-CD44 interaction as part of the communication between the extracellular matrix and different cells that belong to the stem niche, focusing on the hematopoietic and adipose niche. Finally, we discuss the role of these interactions in the transformation of normal stem niche to a tumorigenic niche that allows the development of cancer stem cells.