Targeting the Extra-Cellular Matrix-Tumor Cell Crosstalk for Anti-Cancer Therapy: Emerging Alternatives to Integrin Inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex network composed of a multitude of different macromolecules. ECM components typically provide a supportive structure to the tissue and engender positional information and crosstalk with neighboring cells in a dynamic reciprocal manner, thereby regulating tissue development and homeostasis. During tumor progression, tumor cells commonly modify and hijack the surrounding ECM to sustain anchorage-dependent growth and survival, guide migration, store pro-tumorigenic cell-derived molecules and present them to enhance receptor activation. Thereby, ECM potentially supports tumor progression at various steps from initiation, to local growth, invasion, and systemic dissemination and ECM-tumor cells interactions have long been considered promising targets

SUBMITTER: Lorusso G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7387567 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature