Department of Biochemical Science, University of Florence viale Morgagni 50, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Am J Cancer Res. 2011;1(4):482-97. Epub 2011 Mar 12.
Valid experimental evidence has recently shown that progression of malignant tumors does not depend exclusively on cell-autonomous properties of the cancer cells, but is also deeply influenced by tumor stroma reactivity and undergoes a strict microenvironmental control. Beside structural environmental components as extracellular matrix (ECM) or hypoxia, stromal cells as macrophages, endothelial cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a definite role in cancer progression. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the role of CAFs in tumor progression towards an aggressive phenotype, with particular emphasis on invasiveness, stemness, and preparation of metastatic niche. The controversial origins of CAFs as well as the therapeutical implications of targeting CAFs for anticancer therapy are discussed.
最近的有效实验证据表明,恶性肿瘤的进展不仅完全依赖于癌细胞的自主特性,还受到肿瘤基质反应性的深刻影响,并受到严格的微环境控制。除了结构环境成分如细胞外基质 (ECM) 或缺氧外,基质细胞如巨噬细胞、内皮细胞和癌相关成纤维细胞 (CAFs) 在癌症进展中也起着明确的作用。本文综述了我们目前对 CAFs 在肿瘤向侵袭性表型进展中的作用的认识,特别强调了侵袭性、干性和转移性龛位的准备。本文还讨论了 CAFs 的有争议起源以及针对 CAFs 进行抗癌治疗的治疗意义。