VWF and neoplasm: It should be noted that ADAM-28 reduced VWF multimer size via proteolysis at two distinct sites in the VWF protein, which coincides with a loss in apoptotic potential.154 Since these sites are located away from the αVβ3-recognition sequence (i.e. the RGD-motif), it seems conceivable that VWF multimer size plays a role in the interaction with tumor cells to initiate the apoptotic process.