Journal of Anesthesiology 2018; 6(1): 10-14 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ja doi: 10.11648/j.ja.20180601.13 ISSN: 2376-7766(Print); ISSN: 2376-7774(Online) Review Article Neuropilins - Past, Present and Future: A Review of Its Anti-Neoplastic Potential Ekpe E. L. 1 , Okorie Elsie 1 , Emin Emin 1 , Ekpe Victor 2 1 Department of Chemical Pathology/Immunology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria 2 Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA Email address: To cite this article: Ekpe E. L., Okorie Elsie, Emin Emin, Ekpe Victor. Neuropilins - Past, Present and Future: A Review of Its Anti-Neoplastic Potential. Journal of Anesthesiology. Vol. 6, No. 1, 2018, pp. 10-14. doi: 10.11648/j.ja.20180601.13 Received: February 10, 2018; Accepted: February 25, 2018; Published: April 3, 2018 Abstract: Recently, cancer progression has been linked to a trans-membrane receptor, neuropilin. Studies show that neuropilins are widely distributed in the body and these receptors appear to control the vasculirization of tumors. Neuropilins 1 and 2 are known to be involved in angiogenesis and vascular development and are receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the class 3 semaphorins. Angiogenesis, which is a feature of many malignancies, is aided by increased neuropilin expression. Hence, high neuropilin expression correlates with tumor progression and poor prognosis. Attempts are being made to suppress tumor growth and invasion by employing agents that suppress angiogenesis. This is of great interest, because blockade or inhibition of these molecules may be used as therapeutic agents in cancer therapy. In this review, the molecular biology and current knowledge of neuropilins are explored with a view to identifying their therapeutic potentials. In conclusion, neuropilin targeted intervention may be relevant as anti-cancer therapy. Keywords: Neuropilin, Semaphorins, Angiogenesis, VEGF, Malignancy, Receptor, Therapy 1. Introduction Neuropilins (NP) are groups of protein receptors for class three semaphorins and members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, with essential roles in neuronal patterning and cardiovascular development respectively [1-4]. These proteins are non-signalling trans-membrane bound co-receptors to a tyrosine kinase receptor for both VEGF and semaphorins. They have the ability to bind with these two biologically unrelated molecules viz-class three semaphorins and VEGF family [6, 7]. These neuropilins are of two forms – Neuropilins 1 (NP1) and Neuropilins 2 (NP2). Both are transmembrane glycoproteins and co-receptors for a class of proteins called semaphorins [7, 8]. Neuropilins are receptors or co-receptors for multiple ligands, including class three semaphorins, VEGF, heparin-binding proteins, fibroblast-growth factor, and placental growth factor [7, 8]. These properties have been explored in medical therapeutics. This article reviews the biological features of neuropilins with a view to assessing its anti-cancer benefits. 1.1. Historical Background Neuropilins have been known as membrane receptors and were originally discovered in the nervous system of a developing xenopus (tadpole) [8, 9]. They were first identified by Takagari and his research teammates in 1987. They identified NP1. A decade later, Chen et al isolated NP2 by polymerase chain reaction [8, 10, 11, 12]. 1.2. Body Distribution / Molecular Strucure Neuropilins are present in all vertebrate animals, including man [7]. Human neuropilins 1 and 2 (NP1 & NP2) genes are located on chromosome 10q12 and 2q34 respectively, and both encode full-length proteins [13, 14]. The molecular masses of NP1 and NP2 are between 130-140 kDa (NP1 has 923 amino acids, while NP2 has 926 amino acids). Both have 17 exons and span over 120kilobytes and greater than 112 kilobytes for NP1 and NP2 respectively. In addition, NP1 are found primarily in arterial endothelium and is a receptor for semaphorins 3A, 3C, 3F while NP2 is highly expressed and