Title:Versatility of Cancer Associated Fibroblasts: Commendable Targets for Anti-tumor Therapy
Volume: 19
Issue: 13
Author(s): Ghulam Jilany Khan*, Li Sun, Sara Khan, Shengtao Yuan* He Nongyue*
Affiliation:
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096,China
- Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009,China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096,China
Keywords:
Tumor microenvironment, hypoxia, synergetic effect, genetic stability, biomarkers, drug resistance, anti immunosupportive.
Abstract: Background and Objective: Tumor growth, development, progression, metastasis, invasion
and resistivity against drugs solely depend on the recruitment of surrounding cells, extracellular matrix
and Tumor Microenvironment (TME). TME is directly as well as indirectly associated with Cancer-
Associated Fibroblasts (CAF). The interactions of CAF with tumor surrounding cells, their origination,
activation, transformation and ability to recruit other non-tumor cells for the clemency of tumor,
are very complex and under active research since long. This study provides an in-depth review of CAF
and highlights its potential targets for the regulation of TME as well as discusses current drugs in
clinical trials, targeting through CAF.
Conclusion: The potential role of CAF in anti-tumor therapy is based on its coherent response against
drugs, targeting different tumor sections through these genetically more stable and anti-immunosupportive
CAF cells. CAF can be targeted through immunity system; Growth Factors (GF) including
Transforming growth factor (TGF), vascular endothelial GF, fibroblast GF, platelet derived GF; and
TME elements including hypoxia, carbonic anhydrase, extracellular matrix (ECM). Collectively these
features of CAF make it most vulnerable against single as well as combinational, anti-tumor therapy
for synergistic or additive effects. Potential activities of CAF, their origination mechanisms and identification
of meticulous bio-markers are needed to be investigated further. The rousing facts about them
mutually culminate the anticipation of progress towards novel therapeutic establishment against cancer
through CAFs that are under progressive research at all levels including, pre-clinical and clinical
trials as well as possess much potential to be explored further.
