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Review
. 2020 Aug 25;5(1):166.
doi: 10.1038/s41392-020-00280-x.

The updated landscape of tumor microenvironment and drug repurposing

Ming-Zhu Jin  1   2 , Wei-Lin Jin  3
Affiliations
Review

The updated landscape of tumor microenvironment and drug repurposing

Ming-Zhu Jin et al. Signal Transduct Target Ther. .

Abstract

Accumulating evidence shows that cellular and acellular components in tumor microenvironment (TME) can reprogram tumor initiation, growth, invasion, metastasis, and response to therapies. Cancer research and treatment have switched from a cancer-centric model to a TME-centric one, considering the increasing significance of TME in cancer biology. Nonetheless, the clinical efficacy of therapeutic strategies targeting TME, especially the specific cells or pathways of TME, remains unsatisfactory. Classifying the chemopathological characteristics of TME and crosstalk among one another can greatly benefit further studies exploring effective treating methods. Herein, we present an updated image of TME with emphasis on hypoxic niche, immune microenvironment, metabolism microenvironment, acidic niche, innervated niche, and mechanical microenvironment. We then summarize conventional drugs including aspirin, celecoxib, β-adrenergic antagonist, metformin, and statin in new antitumor application. These drugs are considered as viable candidates for combination therapy due to their antitumor activity and extensive use in clinical practice. We also provide our outlook on directions and potential applications of TME theory. This review depicts a comprehensive and vivid landscape of TME from biology to treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The updated landscape of tumor microenvironment (TME). TME comprises cancer cells, stromal cells, blood vessels, nerve fibers, extracellular matrix, and associated acellular components. TME is home for cancer cells and serves as a bridge connecting cancer with the whole organism. TME can be classified into six specialized microenvironments, namely, hypoxic niche, immune microenvironment, metabolism microenvironment, acidic niche, innervated niche, and mechanical microenvironment
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
New life of old drugs in targeting TME. TME is regarded as a target for cancer therapy. Aspirin, celecoxib, β-adrenergic antagonist, metformin, and statin are five conventional drugs with antitumor capability that show potential use in combination therapy by targeting TME
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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