Li Yifan, Peng Shantong, Xu Jiatong, Liu Wenjie, Luo Qi
Queen Mary School, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
The First Clinical College, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
PeerJ. 2025 May 7;13:e19328. doi: 10.7717/peerj.19328. eCollection 2025.
Integrins, a family of transmembrane cell adhesion receptors, mediate intercellular and cell-extracellular matrix crosstalk outside-in and inside-out signaling pathways. Integrins, categorized into 24 distinct combinations of α and β subunits, exhibit tissue-specific expression and perform unique or overlapping roles in physiological and pathophysiological processes. These roles encompass embryonic angiogenesis, tissue repair, and the modulation of tumor cell angiogenesis, progression, invasion, and metastasis. Notably, integrins are significant contributors to tumor development, offering valuable insights into the potential of integrin-targeted diagnostics and therapeutics. Currently, there are various preclinical and clinical trials aiming to harness integrin antagonists that are safe, efficacious, and exhibit low toxicity. Owing to the functional redundancy across integrin types and the complexity of the mechanisms of integrin-mediated multiple key processes associated with tumor biology, challenges exist that impede advancements in integrin-targeted therapy. Nevertheless, innovative strategies focused on integrin modulation represent significant breakthroughs for improving patient care and promoting comprehensive insights into the underlying mechanisms of tumor biology. This review elucidates the impact of integrins on three distinct cell types in multiple key processes associated with tumor biology and explores the emerging integrin-targeted therapeutic approaches for the treatment of tumors, which will provide ideas for optimal therapeutic approaches in the future.
整合素是一类跨膜细胞粘附受体家族，介导细胞间以及细胞与细胞外基质之间的串扰，涉及外向内和内向外信号通路。整合素由α和β亚基的24种不同组合分类而成，表现出组织特异性表达，并在生理和病理生理过程中发挥独特或重叠的作用。这些作用包括胚胎血管生成、组织修复以及对肿瘤细胞血管生成、进展、侵袭和转移的调节。值得注意的是，整合素是肿瘤发展的重要促成因素，为整合素靶向诊断和治疗的潜力提供了有价值的见解。目前，有各种临床前和临床试验旨在利用安全、有效且毒性低的整合素拮抗剂。由于整合素类型之间存在功能冗余以及整合素介导的与肿瘤生物学相关的多个关键过程的机制复杂，存在阻碍整合素靶向治疗进展的挑战。然而，专注于整合素调节的创新策略代表了改善患者护理和促进对肿瘤生物学潜在机制全面理解的重大突破。本综述阐明了整合素在与肿瘤生物学相关的多个关键过程中对三种不同细胞类型的影响，并探讨了新兴的整合素靶向治疗方法来治疗肿瘤，这将为未来的最佳治疗方法提供思路。
