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Review
. 2018 Dec 27;20(1):96.
doi: 10.3390/ijms20010096.

Chemokines and Chemokine Receptors: Orchestrating Tumor Metastasization

Elisabetta Marcuzzi  1   2 , Roberta Angioni  3   4 , Barbara Molon  5 , Bianca Calì  6   7   8
Affiliations
Review

Chemokines and Chemokine Receptors: Orchestrating Tumor Metastasization

Elisabetta Marcuzzi et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Metastasis still represents the primary cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chemokine signalling contributes to the overall process of cancer growth and metastasis, and their expression in both primary tumors and metastatic lesions correlate with prognosis. Chemokines promote tumor metastasization by directly supporting cancer cell survival and invasion, angiogenesis, and by indirectly shaping the pre-metastatic niches and antitumor immunity. Here, we will focus on the relevant chemokine/chemokine receptor axes that have been described to drive the metastatic process. We elaborate on their role in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis and immune cell recruitment at both the primary tumor lesions and the pre-metastatic foci. Furthermore, we also discuss the advantages and limits of current pharmacological strategies developed to target chemokine networks for cancer therapy.

Keywords: angiogenesis; cancer; chemokine; metastasis; tumor immunity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemokines contribute to the overall process of tumor metastasis. (a) Chemokines promote proliferation and survival of tumor cells at the primary lesion in an autocrine fashion. (b) The balance between angiostatic and angiogenic chemokines secreted by stromal cells, immune cells and platelets regulates tumor associated-angiogenesis by supporting endothelial cell proliferation and sprouting, and promoting remodelling of the surrounding extracellular matrix. (c) Chemokine gradients shape the tumor microenvironment both in the primary sites and pre-metastatic niches by recruiting different types of immune cells. Whilst T cells and NK cells have an antitumoral effect, Treg cells, tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs) inhibit antitumor immunity and support the metastatic process. (d) Myeloid immune cells accumulating at the pre-metastatic niches, in turn, secrete chemokines that promote angiogenesis and tumor invasion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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