Fig. 3.
Decorin binds to the epidermal growth factor receptor and evokes a unique signaling cascade. Decorin directly binds to the epidermal growth factor receptor and causes its dimerization, internalization and ultimately lysosomal degradation. Upon decorin binding, the epidermal growth factor receptor is phosphorylated, leading to Erk1/2 activation, thus induces the expression of the endogenous cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF and a subsequent arrest of the cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Pro-caspase-3 is cleaved into active caspase-3, which degrades the epidermal growth factor receptor C-terminus and starts the apoptotic process.