Fibroblast Diversity and Plasticity in the Tumor Microenvironment: Roles in Immunity and Relevant Therapies

Overview

Journal Cell Commun Signal

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Biochemistry
Cell Biology

Date 2023 Sep 18

PMID 37723510

Authors

Yashi Xu

Wei Li

Shitong Lin

Binghan Liu

Peng Wu

Li Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), enriched in the tumor stroma, have received increasing attention because of their multifaceted effects on tumorigenesis, development, metastasis, and treatment resistance in malignancies. CAFs contributed to suppressive microenvironment via different mechanisms, while CAFs also exerted some antitumor effects. Therefore, CAFs have been considered promising therapeutic targets for their remarkable roles in malignant tumors. However, patients with malignancies failed to benefit from current CAFs-targeted drugs in many clinical trials, which suggests that further in-depth investigation into CAFs is necessary. Here, we summarize and outline the heterogeneity and plasticity of CAFs mainly by exploring their origin and activation, highlighting the regulation of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment during tumor evolution, as well as the critical roles performed by CAFs in tumor immunity. In addition, we summarize the current immunotherapies targeting CAFs, and conclude with a brief overview of some prospects for the future of CAFs research in the end. Video Abstract.

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