A guide to building the matrisome interactome: from computational predictions to experimental validation

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support and signals to cells, regulating crucial biological processes.
• ECM structural integrity and signaling rely on protein-protein and protein-polysaccharide interactions.
• Understanding these interactions is vital for comprehending ECM assembly, function, and developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review computational and experimental approaches for identifying and characterizing ECM protein interactions.
• To provide a roadmap for generating cell-, tissue-, or disease-specific ECM interaction networks.
• To discuss current challenges and future perspectives in ECM interactomics.

Main Methods:

• Review of computational tools for predicting ECM protein interactions.
• Description of experimental techniques for determining ECM interactions and their parameters.
• Illustration of approaches using examples from original research literature.

Main Results:

• Detailed overview of available computational and experimental methods for ECM interactome analysis.
• Demonstration of how these methods advance understanding of ECM functions in health and disease.
• Proposal of a combined computational-experimental roadmap for ECM network generation.

Conclusions:

• Mapping ECM interactions is crucial for understanding its role in health and disease.
• A combination of computational and experimental approaches is recommended for comprehensive ECM interactome analysis.
• Further research is needed to address remaining challenges and advance the field of ECM interactomics.