[Anti-adhesive and anti-thrombotic effects of integrin-inhibiting tripeptides (Arg-Gly-Asp)]

The RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) motif has a widespread distribution in the cellular adhesive structures on platelets, lymphocytes, some viruses and matrix proteins. RGD sequence seems to confer adhesive properties to macromolecular proteins like fibronectin, vitronectin, von Willebrand factor, fibrinogen and many others. So RGD tripeptide and its analogues really deserve to be regarded as general disintegrin sequence. A concise review is given to analyze the most important achievements by using RGD peptides as antiplatelet agents along with an overview of the potential clinical application of the disintegrin peptides in other fields of medicine.