Insights into the Tumor Microenvironment—Components, Functions and Therapeutics

Autor: Kornélia Baghy, Andrea Ladányi, Andrea Reszegi, Ilona Kovalszky
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 24, Iss 24, p 17536 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1422-0067
1661-6596
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417536
Popis: Similarly to our healthy organs, the tumor tissue also constitutes an ecosystem. This implies that stromal cells acquire an altered phenotype in tandem with tumor cells, thereby promoting tumor survival. Cancer cells are fueled by abnormal blood vessels, allowing them to develop and proliferate. Tumor-associated fibroblasts adapt their cytokine and chemokine production to the needs of tumor cells and alter the peritumoral stroma by generating more collagen, thereby stiffening the matrix; these processes promote epithelial–mesenchymal transition and tumor cell invasion. Chronic inflammation and the mobilization of pro-tumorigenic inflammatory cells further facilitate tumor expansion. All of these events can impede the effective administration of tumor treatment; so, the successful inhibition of tumorous matrix remodeling could further enhance the success of antitumor therapy. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made with the introduction of novel immunotherapy that targets the inhibitory mechanisms of T cell activation. However, extensive research is also being conducted on the stromal components and other cell types of the tumor microenvironment (TME) that may serve as potential therapeutic targets.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals