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Review
. 2019 Sep 10;12(1):95.
doi: 10.1186/s13045-019-0778-6.

Cancer-associated adipocytes: key players in breast cancer progression

Qi Wu  1   2   3 , Bei Li  1 , Zhiyu Li  1 , Juanjuan Li  1 , Si Sun  4 , Shengrong Sun  5
Affiliations
Review

Cancer-associated adipocytes: key players in breast cancer progression

Qi Wu et al. J Hematol Oncol. .

Abstract

Adipocytes are one of the primary stromal cells in many tissues, and they are considered to play an active role in the tumor microenvironment. Cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs) are not only found adjacent to cancer cells, but also communicate with cancer cells through releasing various factors that can mediate local and systemic effects. The adipocyte-cancer cell crosstalk leads to phenotypical and functional changes of both cell types, which can further enhance tumor progression. Indeed, obesity, which is associated with an increase in adipose mass and an alteration of adipose tissue, is becoming pandemic in some countries and it is now considered to be an independent risk factor for cancer progression. In this review, we focus on the potential mechanisms involved with special attention to the adipocyte-cancer cell circle in breast cancer. We envisage that besides having a direct impact on tumor cells, CAAs systemically preconditions the tumor microenvironment by favoring anti-tumor immunity. A better understanding of cancer-associated adipocytes and the key molecular events in the adipocyte-cancer cell crosstalk will provide insights into tumor biology and permit the optimization of therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: Breast cancer; cancer-associated adipocyte; exosome; miRNAs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CAAs secrete inflammatory factors that modify the behavior of breast cancer cells
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The metabolic reprogramming of CAAs promotes cancer progression
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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