Heparin-Binding Proteins (Chemokines and Defensins) and their Complexes with Glycosaminoglycans from the Solution NMR Perspective

This review paper aims at discussing the major recent achievements in the field of the heparin-binding proteins (HBPs), primarily chemokines and defensins, and their complexes with glycosaminoglycans examined by solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. As opposed to the HBPs involved in coagulation (mainly antithrombin and thrombin), and growth factors (especially fibroblast growth factors 1 and 2), which were extensively analyzed in the past, inflammatory chemokines turned out to be the most thoroughly studied HBPs nowadays. Defensins, which structurally and functionally resemble the chemokines, are also under intensive current investigation.