Collagen Family as Promising Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Cancer

Abstract

Despite advances in cancer detection and therapy, it has been estimated that the incidence of cancers will increase, while the mortality rate will continue to remain high, a fact explained by the large number of patients diagnosed in advanced stages when therapy is often useless. Therefore, it is necessary to invest knowledge and resources in the development of new non-invasive biomarkers for the early detection of cancer and new therapeutic targets for better health management. In this review, we provided an overview on the collagen family as promising biomarkers and on how they may be exploited as therapeutic targets in cancer. The collagen family tridimensional structure, organization, and functions are very complex, being in a tight relationship with the extracellular matrix, tumor, and immune microenvironment. Moreover, accumulating evidence underlines the role of collagens in promoting tumor growth and creating a permissive tumor microenvironment for metastatic dissemination. Knowledge of the molecular basis of these interactions may help in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, in overcoming chemoresistance, and in providing new targets for cancer therapies.

Spatial transcriptomic profiling of human retinoblastoma

“…Similarly, C7 cells also showed high ribosomal protein gene expression, indicating increased translation in the tumor cells. The high expression of VIM confirmed the glial cell composition of the C8 cluster, and their signature of collagen genes, VWF and FN1 emphasized their role in cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation [38][39][40] .…”

Integrated bioinformatics analysis reveals upregulated extracellular matrix hub genes in pancreatic cancer: Implications for diagnosis, prognosis, immune infiltration, and therapeutic strategies

“…Besides their function in tissue organization and shaping, they have critical roles in tumorigeneses, cancer cell proliferation, cancer cell invasion, metastasis, cancer cell death resistance, and anti-cancer immunity regulation. 55,56 Recent research has uncovered a protective role of collagen type 1 protein in PC. This protective function involves the inhibition of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which are known to dampen the anti-tumor immune response.…”

“…Collagen family proteins are copiously found in the ECM environment. Besides their function in tissue organization and shaping, they have critical roles in tumorigeneses, cancer cell proliferation, cancer cell invasion, metastasis, cancer cell death resistance, and anti‐cancer immunity regulation 55,56 . Recent research has uncovered a protective role of collagen type 1 protein in PC.…”

Lactate-driven type I collagen deposition facilitates cancer stem cell-like phenotype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

“…However, the role of lactate on CSC phenotype is poorly clari ed. Col I, the most abundant protein in TME, is involved in the tumorigenesis, progression, and CSC phenotypic modulation of malignancies (22,23,24). Yet, whether the environmental lactate contributes to Col I deposition remains elusive.…”