The Extracellular Actin-Scavenger System and Actin Toxicity

ACTIN is the most abundant protein in mammalian cells. Cell motility and change in the size and shape of cells depend on the ability of monomers of actin to polymerize to actin filaments. When actin is released from cells, however, its strong tendency to polymerize can become a liability, and the presence of filaments of actin in blood vessels can be fatal. Cell necrosis is associated with the release of actin in a variety of clinical situations, including hepatic necrosis, septic shock, the adult respiratory distress syndrome, and certain disorders of pregnancy. A newly described homeostatic mechanism, termed the actin-scavenger…