Heterotypic Signaling of Cancer-associated Fibroblasts in Shaping the Cancer Cell Drug Resistance
Overview
Affiliations
The context-dependent reciprocal interaction between the cancer cells and surrounding fibroblasts is imperative for regulating malignant potential, metabolic reprogramming, immunosuppression, and ECM deposition. However, recent evidence also suggests that cancer-associated fibroblasts induce chemoresistance in cancer cells to various anticancer regimens. Because of the protumorigenic function of cancer-associated fibroblasts, these stromal cell types have emerged as fascinating therapeutic targets for cancer. However, this notion was recently challenged by studies that targeted cancer-associated fibroblasts and highlighted the underlying heterogeneity by identifying a subset of these cells with tumor-restricting functions. Hence, it is imperative to understand the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts to target tumor-promoting signaling processes by sparing tumor-restricting ones. In this review, we discuss the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts in shaping drug resistance and also list the cancer-associated fibroblast-targeting therapeutics.
Zhang Y, Wang H, Dai F, He K, Tuo Z, Wang J Hum Genomics. 2025; 19(1):14.
PMID: 39985100 PMC: 11846387. DOI: 10.1186/s40246-025-00717-w.
Osteopontin: A Key Multifaceted Regulator in Tumor Progression and Immunomodulation.
Panda V, Mishra B, Nath A, Butti R, Yadav A, Malhotra D Biomedicines. 2024; 12(7).
PMID: 39062100 PMC: 11274826. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12071527.
Biophysical perspectives to understanding cancer-associated fibroblasts.
Devarasou S, Kang M, Shin J APL Bioeng. 2024; 8(2):021507.
PMID: 38855445 PMC: 11161195. DOI: 10.1063/5.0199024.
Zhao D, Mo Y, Neganova M, Aleksandrova Y, Tse E, Chubarev V Front Cell Dev Biol. 2023; 11:1266537.
PMID: 37849740 PMC: 10577389. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1266537.
Song X, Lan Y, Zheng X, Zhu Q, Liao X, Liu K MedComm (2020). 2023; 4(5):e342.
PMID: 37638338 PMC: 10449058. DOI: 10.1002/mco2.342.