Decorin: A Growth Factor Antagonist for Tumor Growth Inhibition

Figure 1

Structure of decorin: mammalian decorin (DCN) contains a monomeric protein core of 42 kDa and a single chondroitin/dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain. DCN exists as a dimer in physiological solutions and is the best characterized member of the growing family of SLRPs. Structurally, it has a domain of tandem leucine-rich repeats (LRRs, altogether 12 LRRs), flanked on both sides by two cysteine-rich regions. Decorin dimer structure (from PDB 1XKU). Images prepared with JMOL program. The N-terminus is in the “middle” of the antiparallel homodimer.