Dong Zikai, Wang Yongfei, Jin Weilin
Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, the First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
Acta Pharm Sin B. 2025 May;15(5):2323-2350. doi: 10.1016/j.apsb.2025.03.025. Epub 2025 Mar 13.
Tumors are complex, highly heterogeneous diseases that place an enormous burden on the world's healthcare systems. Updating understanding of tumor initiation and progression is critical and the current breakthrough lies in cancer neuroscience, which focuses on the crosstalk between neural components and tumors. Neuropeptides are a class of highly potent peptides, that perform the physiological functions of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and endocrine hormones. Currently, many studies have shown that many cellular components of the tumor microenvironment express neuropeptides and their receptors and that neuropeptides may play an important role in their cellular communication. In addition, neuropeptides and their receptors affect cancer hallmarks such as proliferation, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, immune escape, metabolic reprogramming, and others. More importantly, neuropeptides may also affect some tumor comorbidities such as insomnia, depression, anorexia, cancer pain, and others. Targeting neuropeptides in combination with new therapeutic strategies may significantly advance anti-tumor therapy, not only for treating the tumor itself but also for improving the patient's quality of life.
肿瘤是复杂的、高度异质性的疾病，给全球医疗保健系统带来了巨大负担。更新对肿瘤发生和进展的认识至关重要，当前的突破在于癌症神经科学，它专注于神经成分与肿瘤之间的相互作用。神经肽是一类高效能的肽，发挥着神经递质、神经调质和内分泌激素的生理功能。目前，许多研究表明，肿瘤微环境的许多细胞成分表达神经肽及其受体，并且神经肽可能在它们的细胞通讯中发挥重要作用。此外，神经肽及其受体影响癌症的特征，如增殖、侵袭和转移、血管生成、免疫逃逸、代谢重编程等。更重要的是，神经肽还可能影响一些肿瘤合并症，如失眠、抑郁、厌食、癌痛等。将神经肽与新的治疗策略相结合进行靶向治疗，可能会显著推进抗肿瘤治疗，不仅用于治疗肿瘤本身，还用于改善患者的生活质量。
