Integrin Regulation of CAF Differentiation and Function
Department of Surgery, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Cancers 2019, 11(5), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers11050715
Received: 12 April 2019 / Revised: 14 May 2019 / Accepted: 21 May 2019 / Published: 24 May 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Integrins in Cancer)
Extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix, together with paracrine communication between tumor cells and stromal cells, contribute to an “activated” tumor microenvironment that supports malignant growth and progression. These stromal cells include inflammatory cells, endothelial cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Integrins are expressed on all tumor and stromal cell types where they regulate both cell adhesion and bidirectional signal transduction across the cell membrane. In this capacity, integrins control pro-tumorigenic cell autonomous functions such as growth and survival, as well as paracrine crosstalk between tumor cells and stromal cells. The myofibroblast-like properties of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), such as robust contractility and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, allow them to generate both chemical and mechanical signals that support invasive tumor growth. In this review, we discuss the roles of integrins in regulating the ability of CAFs to generate and respond to extracellular cues in the tumor microenvironment. Since functions of specific integrins in CAFs are only beginning to emerge, we take advantage of a more extensive literature on how integrins regulate wound myofibroblast differentiation and function, as some of these integrin functions are likely to extrapolate to CAFs within the tumor microenvironment. In addition, we discuss the roles that integrins play in controlling paracrine signals that emanate from epithelial/tumor cells to stimulate fibroblasts/CAFs.
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Keywords:
integrin; tumor microenvironment; cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF); extracellular matrix; paracrine signaling
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MDPI and ACS Style
DiPersio, C.M.; Van De Water, L. Integrin Regulation of CAF Differentiation and Function. Cancers 2019, 11, 715. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers11050715
AMA Style
DiPersio CM, Van De Water L. Integrin Regulation of CAF Differentiation and Function. Cancers. 2019; 11(5):715. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers11050715
Chicago/Turabian StyleDiPersio, C. M.; Van De Water, Livingston. 2019. "Integrin Regulation of CAF Differentiation and Function" Cancers 11, no. 5: 715. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers11050715
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