In hematological malignancies and solid tumors, the overexpression of CXCR4 on the cell surface has been shown to be responsible for disease progression, increasing tumor cell survival and chemoresistance and metastasis to organs with high CXCL12 levels (e.g., lymph nodes and bone marrow (BM)).
There is also a significant correlation between the expression levels of CXCR4-CXCL12 axis and metastasis-related genes (E-cadherin and MMP2) in tumor samples with advanced stages of metastasis.
Signaling activated by binding of the C<i>X</i>C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) to its cognate G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), chemokine C<i>X</i>C motif receptor 4 (CXCR4), is linked to metastatic disease.
Results of in vitro cell studies showed that all prepared gels induced CEM tumor cell migration whereas only gels based on MC embedded with CXCL12 are able to capture them.
The expression of macrophage markers (CD163, CCL2/CCR2, CSF1/CSFR1, CXCR4/CXCL12), protumorigenic toll-like receptor pathway genes (CD14/TLR-1,-2,-4,-5,-6/MyD88), HLA-E, ecto-nuclease CD73/NT5E and inhibitory complement receptors (CD-59,-55,-46) remained high in metastases and represent potential therapeutic targets.
Additionally, we found that CAFs could secrete stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and promote CRC cell metastasis in distant organs via the SDF-1/C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) axis.
CXCR4 was more expressed in PT than in metastases (p = 0.0067), whereas CXCL12 was highly expressed in metastatic lesions located in liver and lung (p < 0.0001), as reported for human breast cancer.
The CXCR4 receptor antagonist plerixafor (AMD3100) is raising interest as an anti-cancer agent that disrupts the CXCL12-CXCR4 chemokine - receptor interaction between neoplastic cells and their microenvironment in tumor progression and metastasis.
Our findings describe the novel interactions between fibroblasts-derived CXCL12 and endothelial cells in facilitating tumor cell intrvasation, leading to distant metastasis.
An increasing volume of data indicates that disrupting the interaction between CXC motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and its specific ligand, CXC motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12), may reduce tumor growth and metastasis.
CXCL12-CXCR4 and CXCL16-CXCR6 may be important signaling pathways closely involved in peritoneal metastasis of ovarian cancer that require further investigation.
Levels of SDF-1 and VEGF proteins were significantly associated with histological grade (P<0.05), metastasis (P<0.05) and American Joint Committee on Cancer staging (P<0.05).
In view of the importance of tumor cell migration into the bone marrow, we have here investigated effects of various concentrations of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), bradykinin- and ATP on bone marrow metastasis.
Another factor explaining the osteotropism of CSCs is their ability to recognize chemokine gradients toward BM, through the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis, also known to be involved in tumor metastasis to other organs.
The CXCR4/CXCR7/CXCL12 chemokine axis plays important roles in the migration of tumor cells during cancer development by modulating site-specific distant metastasis including to regional lymph nodes.
CXCR4 strongly binds to CXCL12 and the resulting CXCLl2/CXCR4 axis is the molecular basis of their various biological functions, which include: (1) mediating immune and inflammatory response; (2) regulation of hematopoietic stem cell migration and homing; (3) an essential co-receptor for HIV entry into host cells; (4) participation in the process of embryonic development; (5) malignant tumor invasion and metastasis; (6) myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and acute kidney injury.
Collectively, our data show that CXCL12 regulation plays a significant role in both tumor progression and immune response, and targeting CXCL12 is promising for therapeutics against osteosarcoma.<b>Significance:</b> Epigenetic regulation of CXCL12 controls metastasis and immune response in osteosarcoma, suggesting epigenetic therapies or therapies targeting CXCL12 have potential for therapeutic intervention in osteosarcoma.<i></i>.
Our findings demonstrate that Cxcl12 and Myc facilitate glycolysis to promote fast migratory responses during development and repair, and potentially also during tumor invasion and metastasis.