Next Article in Journal
Prediction of the Secretome and the Surfaceome: A Strategy to Decipher the Crosstalk between Adipose Tissue and Muscle during Fetal Growth
Next Article in Special Issue
OsJAZ13 Negatively Regulates Jasmonate Signaling and Activates Hypersensitive Cell Death Response in Rice
Previous Article in Journal
SSADH Variants Increase Susceptibility of U87 Cells to Mitochondrial Pro-Oxidant Insult
Review

Biological Functions and Therapeutic Potential of Lipocalin 2 in Cancer

1
Department of Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
2
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
3
The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
4
University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Juan 00935, Puerto Rico
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(12), 4365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21124365
Received: 26 April 2020 / Revised: 5 June 2020 / Accepted: 15 June 2020 / Published: 19 June 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Death in Biology and Diseases)
Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is a secreted glycoprotein linked to several physiological roles, including transporting hydrophobic ligands across cell membranes, modulating immune responses, maintaining iron homeostasis, and promoting epithelial cell differentiation. Although LNC2 is expressed at low levels in most human tissues, it is abundant in aggressive subtypes of cancer, including breast, pancreas, thyroid, ovarian, colon, and bile duct cancers. High levels of LCN2 have been associated with increased cell proliferation, angiogenesis, cell invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, LCN2 modulates the degradation, allosteric events, and enzymatic activity of matrix metalloprotease-9, a metalloprotease that promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Hence, LCN2 has emerged as a potential therapeutic target against many cancer types. This review summarizes the most relevant findings regarding the expression, biological roles, and regulation of LCN2, as well as the proteins LCN2 interacts with in cancer. We also discuss the approaches to targeting LCN2 for cancer treatment that are currently under investigation, including the use of interference RNAs, antibodies, and gene editing. View Full-Text
Keywords: lipocalin 2; NGAL; siderophore; LCN2-MMP-9; cancer; oncogene lipocalin 2; NGAL; siderophore; LCN2-MMP-9; cancer; oncogene
Show Figures

Figure 1

MDPI and ACS Style

Santiago-Sánchez, G.S.; Pita-Grisanti, V.; Quiñones-Díaz, B.; Gumpper, K.; Cruz-Monserrate, Z.; Vivas-Mejía, P.E. Biological Functions and Therapeutic Potential of Lipocalin 2 in Cancer. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 4365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21124365

AMA Style

Santiago-Sánchez GS, Pita-Grisanti V, Quiñones-Díaz B, Gumpper K, Cruz-Monserrate Z, Vivas-Mejía PE. Biological Functions and Therapeutic Potential of Lipocalin 2 in Cancer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21(12):4365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21124365

Chicago/Turabian Style

Santiago-Sánchez, Ginette S., Valentina Pita-Grisanti, Blanca Quiñones-Díaz, Kristyn Gumpper, Zobeida Cruz-Monserrate, and Pablo E. Vivas-Mejía. 2020. "Biological Functions and Therapeutic Potential of Lipocalin 2 in Cancer" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 12: 4365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21124365

Find Other Styles
Note that from the first issue of 2016, MDPI journals use article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Access Map by Country/Region

1
Back to TopTop