Periostin: A Matricellular Protein With Multiple Functions in Cancer Development and Progression

Abstract

Tumor microenvironment is considered nowadays as one of the main players in cancer development and progression. Tumor microenvironment is highly complex and consists of non-tumor cells (i.e., cancer-associated fibroblast, endothelial cells, or infiltrating leukocytes) and a large list of extracellular matrix proteins and soluble factors. The way that microenvironment components interact among them and with the tumor cells is very complex and only partially understood. However, it is now clear that these interactions govern and modulate many of the cancer hallmarks such as cell proliferation, the resistance to death, the differentiation state of tumor cells, their ability to migrate and metastasize, and the immune response against tumor cells. One of the microenvironment components that have emerged in the last years with strength is a heterogeneous group of multifaceted proteins grouped under the name of matricellular proteins. Matricellular proteins are a family of non-structural matrix proteins that regulate a variety of biological processes in normal and pathological situations. Many components of this family such as periostin (POSTN), osteopontin (SPP1), or the CNN family of proteins have been shown to regulate key aspect of tumor biology, including proliferation, invasion, matrix remodeling, and dissemination to pre-metastatic niches in distant organs. Matricellular proteins can be produced by tumor cells themselves or by tumor-associated cells, and their synthesis can be affected by intrinsic and/or extrinsic tumor cell factors. In this review, we will focus on the role of POSTN in the development and progression of cancer. We will describe their functions in normal tissues and the mechanisms involved in their regulation. We will analyze the tumors in which their expression is altered and their usefulness as a biomarker of tumor progression. Finally, we will speculate about future directions for research and therapeutic approaches targeting POSTN.

Decoding the transcriptome of atherosclerotic plaque at single-cell resolution

“…4e). POSTN (periostin) is expressed by osteoblasts and other connective tissue cell types involved with ECM maturation 46 and stabilization during EMT in non-cardiac lineages 47,48 . POSTN, SPP1, and IBSP are highly interconnected in our network and likely serve as drivers of CTD by modulating other correlated genes such as TIMP1, VCAN, TPST2, SMOC1, MMP11, FN1, and COL4A1 (Fig.…”

Identification of Novel Biomarkers in Pancreatic Tumor Tissue to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

“…Periostin (Uniprot: POSTN) was identified as the highest over-expressed protein in poor-NAC responders. Periostin is an extracellular matrix protein, which is known to play an important role in cancer progression (27). Notably, periostin expression has also been shown to be associated with chemoresistance in pancreatic and other cancers (28)(29)(30).…”

Fibroblast activation and abnormal extracellular matrix remodelling as common hallmarks in three cancer‐prone genodermatoses

“…Increased levels of circulating periostin have been shown in several noninherited fibrotic conditions including cancer . Considering the overexpression of periostin seen in vitro and in situ , we subsequently searched for periostin in available serum samples of patients with RDEB and healthy donors.…”