Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities
Abstract. Anti-cancer therapies usually focus on tumor cells, but non-tumor stromal components in the tumor microenvironment also play vital roles in tumor initiation and progression, which may be the prognostic factors and potential therapeutic targets. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Chinese Medical Journal |
| Online Access: | http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CM9.0000000000003031 |
| _version_ | 1827314485191245824 |
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| author | Donger Zhou Lei Zheng Xiangxiang Pan Peifang Wei |
| author_facet | Donger Zhou Lei Zheng Xiangxiang Pan Peifang Wei |
| author_sort | Donger Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract. Anti-cancer therapies usually focus on tumor cells, but non-tumor stromal components in the tumor microenvironment also play vital roles in tumor initiation and progression, which may be the prognostic factors and potential therapeutic targets. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the essential component in the tumor environment, exhibiting high heterogeneity in their cell origin and phenotype with diverse functions that influence tumor angiogenesis, immune systems, and metabolism. Single-cell RNA sequencing and genetically engineered mouse models have increased our understanding of CAF diversity, and many subtypes have been defined. However, the precise functions of these subtypes need to be studied and validated. Studies of signaling pathways and epigenetic changes in CAFs facilitate understanding of the phenotypes of CAFs and the crosstalk between tumor cells and CAFs to provide potential therapeutic targets. Some clinical trials, including phase III trials targeting CAFs, have been performed recently. However, few of these trials have generated promising results, which indicates that the complexity of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment remains largely unknown, and in-depth investigations of CAFs should be performed. This review summarizes the research on CAFs, focusing on the heterogeneity of their phenotypes and functions, specific signaling pathways, and the therapeutic strategies involving CAFs. Additionally, we briefly discuss the current technologies commonly used in CAF studies and describe the challenges and future perspectives of CAF research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:35:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8d6abe772b0642a3b75e3c79497c9857 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0366-6999 2542-5641 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:35:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chinese Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-8d6abe772b0642a3b75e3c79497c98572024-03-19T10:28:51ZengWolters KluwerChinese Medical Journal0366-69992542-56412024-03-01137663865010.1097/CM9.0000000000003031202403200-00004Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunitiesDonger Zhou0Lei Zheng1Xiangxiang PanPeifang Wei1 Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China2 Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Skip Viragh Pancreatic Cancer Center for Clinical Research and Care, and The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Immunotherapy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USAAbstract. Anti-cancer therapies usually focus on tumor cells, but non-tumor stromal components in the tumor microenvironment also play vital roles in tumor initiation and progression, which may be the prognostic factors and potential therapeutic targets. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the essential component in the tumor environment, exhibiting high heterogeneity in their cell origin and phenotype with diverse functions that influence tumor angiogenesis, immune systems, and metabolism. Single-cell RNA sequencing and genetically engineered mouse models have increased our understanding of CAF diversity, and many subtypes have been defined. However, the precise functions of these subtypes need to be studied and validated. Studies of signaling pathways and epigenetic changes in CAFs facilitate understanding of the phenotypes of CAFs and the crosstalk between tumor cells and CAFs to provide potential therapeutic targets. Some clinical trials, including phase III trials targeting CAFs, have been performed recently. However, few of these trials have generated promising results, which indicates that the complexity of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment remains largely unknown, and in-depth investigations of CAFs should be performed. This review summarizes the research on CAFs, focusing on the heterogeneity of their phenotypes and functions, specific signaling pathways, and the therapeutic strategies involving CAFs. Additionally, we briefly discuss the current technologies commonly used in CAF studies and describe the challenges and future perspectives of CAF research.http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CM9.0000000000003031 |
| spellingShingle | Donger Zhou Lei Zheng Xiangxiang Pan Peifang Wei Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities Chinese Medical Journal |
| title | Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities |
| title_full | Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities |
| title_short | Recent advances in cancer-associated fibroblast: Biomarkers, signaling pathways, and therapeutic opportunities |
| title_sort | recent advances in cancer associated fibroblast biomarkers signaling pathways and therapeutic opportunities |
| url | http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CM9.0000000000003031 |
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