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Review
. 2019 Nov 15;11(11):946-956.
doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v11.i11.946.

Endothelial cells in colorectal cancer

Wu-Zhen Chen  1 , Jing-Xin Jiang  1 , Xiu-Yan Yu  1 , Wen-Jie Xia  2 , Peng-Xin Yu  1 , Ke Wang  1 , Zhi-Yong Zhao  3 , Zhi-Gang Chen  1
Affiliations
Review

Endothelial cells in colorectal cancer

Wu-Zhen Chen et al. World J Gastrointest Oncol. .

Abstract

The dependence of tumor growth on neovascularization has become an important aspect of cancer biology. Tumor angiogenesis is one of the key mechanisms of tumorigenesis, growth and metastasis. The key events involved in this process are endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and vascular formation. Recent studies have revealed the importance of tumor-associated endothelial cells (TECs) in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), including epithelial proliferation, stem cell maintenance, angiogenesis, and immune remodeling. Decades of research have identified that the molecular basis of tumor angiogenesis includes vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptor family, which are the main targets of antiangiogenesis therapy. VEGFs and their receptors play key roles in the pathology of angiogenesis, and their overexpression indicates poor prognosis in CRC. This article reviews the characteristics of the tumor vasculature and the role of TECs in different stages of CRC and immune remodeling. We also discuss the biological effects of VEGFs and their receptor family as angiogenesis regulators and emphasize the clinical implications of TECs in clinical treatment.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Heterogeneity; Immune remodeling; Tumor-associated endothelial cells; Vascular endothelial growth factor.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The role of tumor-associated endothelial cells in the different stages of colorectal cancer. TECs: Tumor-associated endothelial cells; CSCs: Cancer stem cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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