Integrin alpha-6

Integrin alpha-6 (ITGA6) is a cell surface receptor that mediates adhesion to laminin and other extracellular ligands. When paired with beta-1 subunits, it functions on platelets and in oocytes; with beta-4 subunits, it localizes to epithelial hemidesmosomes and serves as a co-receptor for neuregulin-1 and insulin-like growth factors (IGF1/IGF2) signaling (UniProt: P23229).

ITGA6 is implicated in epidermolysis bullosa junctional type 6, an autosomal recessive blistering disorder affecting the dermal-epidermal junction. The protein's role in epithelial integrity and cell-matrix interactions underscores its importance in tissue structural maintenance (UniProt: P23229).

In Alzheimer's Disease, ITGA6 is upregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue relative to age-matched controls. Proteomics analysis across subcellular fractions (TMT-labeled, DDA approach) detected the protein as increased with a mean log2 fold-change of 0.93 (Chaparral AD proteomics). This upregulation may reflect altered integrin signaling or compensatory responses to neurodegeneration-associated changes in the AD brain extracellular environment.