Turning foes to friends: targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts

doi:10.1038/s41573-018-0004-1

Review

. 2019 Feb;18(2):99-115.

doi: 10.1038/s41573-018-0004-1.

Turning foes to friends: targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts

Xueman Chen^{1

2}, Erwei Song^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
² Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. songew@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
⁴ Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. songew@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

PMID: 30470818
DOI: 10.1038/s41573-018-0004-1

Review

Turning foes to friends: targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts

Xueman Chen et al. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2019 Feb.

. 2019 Feb;18(2):99-115.

doi: 10.1038/s41573-018-0004-1.

Authors

Xueman Chen^{1

2}, Erwei Song^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
² Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. songew@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
⁴ Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. songew@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

PMID: 30470818
DOI: 10.1038/s41573-018-0004-1

Abstract

Current paradigms of cancer-centric therapeutics are usually not sufficient to eradicate the malignancy, as the cancer stroma may prompt tumour relapse and therapeutic resistance. Among all the stromal cells that populate the tumour microenvironment, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most abundant and are critically involved in cancer progression. CAFs regulate the biology of tumour cells and other stromal cells via cell-cell contact, releasing numerous regulatory factors and synthesizing and remodelling the extracellular matrix, and thus these cells affect cancer initiation and development. The recent characterization of CAFs based on specific cell surface markers not only deepens our insight into their phenotypic heterogeneity and functional diversity but also brings CAF-targeting therapies for cancer treatment onto the agenda. In this Review, we discuss the current knowledge of biological hallmarks, cellular origins, phenotypical plasticity and functional heterogeneity of CAFs and underscore their contribution to cancer progression. Moreover, we highlight relevant translational advances and potential therapeutic strategies that target CAFs for cancer treatment.

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References

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[1] Torre, L. A. et al. Global cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J. Clin. 65, 87–108 (2015). - PubMed

[2] Torre, L. A. et al. Global cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J. Clin. 65, 87–108 (2015). - PubMed

[3] Zhou, B.-B. S. et al. Tumour-initiating cells: challenges and opportunities for anticancer drug discovery. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 8, 806 (2009).

[4] Zhou, B.-B. S. et al. Tumour-initiating cells: challenges and opportunities for anticancer drug discovery. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 8, 806 (2009).

[5] Kalluri, R. The biology and function of fibroblasts in cancer. Nat. Rev. Cancer 16, 582–598 (2016). This is a systematic Review on the biology and function of fibroblasts in cancer.

[6] Kalluri, R. The biology and function of fibroblasts in cancer. Nat. Rev. Cancer 16, 582–598 (2016). This is a systematic Review on the biology and function of fibroblasts in cancer.

[7] Maley, C. C. et al. Classifying the evolutionary and ecological features of neoplasms. Nat. Rev. Cancer 17, 605–619 (2017). - PubMed - PMC

[8] Maley, C. C. et al. Classifying the evolutionary and ecological features of neoplasms. Nat. Rev. Cancer 17, 605–619 (2017). - PubMed - PMC

[9] Quail, D. F. & Joyce, J. A. Microenvironmental regulation of tumor progression and metastasis. Nat. Med. 19, 1423–1437 (2013). - PubMed - PMC

[10] Quail, D. F. & Joyce, J. A. Microenvironmental regulation of tumor progression and metastasis. Nat. Med. 19, 1423–1437 (2013). - PubMed - PMC

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Turning foes to friends: targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts

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Turning foes to friends: targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts

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