scholarly journals Role of Stromal Cells in Determining Tumor and Cancer Stem Cell Behaviors and Therapeutic Response

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3162
Author(s):  
Stephan J. Reshkin ◽  
Rosa Angela Cardone

While research previously focused extensively on the tumor cells, over the last two decades, the tumor microenvironment (TME) has received increasing attention with a particular emphasis in its role in tumor development, metabolism, progression, and treatment response [...]

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 8-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Nisticò ◽  
Gennaro Ciliberto

Our view of cancer biology radically shifted from a “cancer-cell-centric” vision to a view of cancer as an organ disease. The concept that genetic and/or epigenetic alterations, at the basis of cancerogenesis, are the main if not the exclusive drivers of cancer development and the principal targets of therapy, has now evolved to include the tumor microenvironment in which tumor cells can grow, proliferate, survive, and metastasize only within a favorable environment. The interplay between cancer cells and the non-cellular and cellular components of the tumor microenvironment plays a fundamental role in tumor development and evolution both at the primary site and at the level of metastasis. The shape of the tumor cells and tumor mass is the resultant of several contrasting forces either pro-tumoral or anti-tumoral which have at the level of the tumor microenvironment their battle field. This crucial role of tumor microenvironment composition in cancer progression also dictates whether immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies is going to be efficacious. Hence, tumor microenvironment deconvolution has become of great relevance in order to identify biomarkers predictive of efficacy of immunotherapy. In this short paper we will briefly review the relationship between inflammation and cancer, and will summarize in 10 short points the key concepts learned so far and the open challenges to be solved.


Author(s):  
Xianjie Jiang ◽  
Jie Wang ◽  
Xiangying Deng ◽  
Fang Xiong ◽  
Shanshan Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Tumor angiogenesis is necessary for the continued survival and development of tumor cells, and plays an important role in their growth, invasion, and metastasis. The tumor microenvironment—composed of tumor cells, surrounding cells, and secreted cytokines—provides a conducive environment for the growth and survival of tumors. Different components of the tumor microenvironment can regulate tumor development. In this review, we have discussed the regulatory role of the microenvironment in tumor angiogenesis. High expression of angiogenic factors and inflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment, as well as hypoxia, are presumed to be the reasons for poor therapeutic efficacy of current anti-angiogenic drugs. A combination of anti-angiogenic drugs and antitumor inflammatory drugs or hypoxia inhibitors might improve the therapeutic outcome.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunliang Shang ◽  
Jie Qiao ◽  
Hongyan Guo

AbstractThe pre-metastatic niche is a favorable microenvironment for the colonization of metastatic tumor cells in specific distant organs. Lipid droplets (LDs, also known as lipid bodies or adiposomes) have increasingly been recognized as lipid-rich, functionally dynamic organelles within tumor cells, immune cells, and other stromal cells that are linked to diverse biological functions and human diseases. Moreover, in recent years, several studies have described the indispensable role of LDs in the development of pre-metastatic niches. This review discusses current evidence related to the biogenesis, composition, and functions of LDs related to the following characteristics of the pre-metastatic niche: immunosuppression, inflammation, angiogenesis/vascular permeability, lymphangiogenesis, organotropism, reprogramming. We also address the function of LDs in mediating pre-metastatic niche formation. The potential of LDs as markers and targets for novel antimetastatic therapies will be discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 153303382092096
Author(s):  
Hongzhi Sun ◽  
Bo Zhang ◽  
Haijun Li

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has extremely high malignancy and patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma have dismal prognosis. The failure of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treatment is largely due to the tumor microenvironment, which is featured by ample stromal cells and complicated extracellular matrix. Recent genomic analysis revealed that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma harbors frequently mutated genes including KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4, which can widely alter cellular processes and behaviors. As shown by accumulating studies, these mutant genes may also change tumor microenvironment, which in turn affects pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression. In this review, we summarize the role of such genetic mutations in tumor microenvironment regulation and potential mechanisms.


2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 621-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnathan D Ebben ◽  
Daniel M Treisman ◽  
Michael Zorniak ◽  
Raman G Kutty ◽  
Paul A Clark ◽  
...  

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