SPARC in Tumor Pathophysiology and as a Potential Therapeutic Target

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Targeted and Selective Treatment of Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Teratomas Using External Beam Radiation in a Small-animal Model
05:08

Targeted and Selective Treatment of Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Teratomas Using External Beam Radiation in a Small-animal Model

Published on: February 17, 2019

5.4K

Jianguo Feng, Liling Tang1

  • 1Key Laboratory of Biorheological Sicience and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China. tangliling@cqu.edu.cn.

Current Pharmaceutical Design
|June 21, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Secreted Protein and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) has a dual role in cancer progression. It promotes metastasis in aggressive tumors but inhibits tumor growth in less aggressive types, suggesting targeted therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cell migration and metastasis are key drivers of tumor progression.
  • Secreted Protein and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) expression varies significantly across tumor types.
  • SPARC exhibits context-dependent roles in cancer, influencing metastasis and tumor suppression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize and analyze the paradoxical roles of SPARC in different tumor types.
  • To elucidate the distinct effects of SPARC, including its variants and signal peptide.
  • To explore therapeutic strategies targeting SPARC for cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and analysis of existing studies on SPARC in various cancers.
  • Comparative analysis of SPARC expression patterns in highly versus less metastatic tumors.
  • Investigation of SPARC's involvement in key cancer processes like epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis.

Main Results:

  • SPARC is highly expressed in metastatic tumors (glioblastomas, melanoma, breast, prostate cancer), promoting bone metastasis and EMT.
  • In less metastatic tumors (neuroblastoma, ovarian, pancreatic, colorectal, gastric cancer), SPARC acts as an anti-tumor factor, inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis.
  • Aberrant promoter methylation correlates with low SPARC expression in less metastatic tumors.

Conclusions:

  • SPARC exhibits a paradoxical role in cancer, acting as a pro-metastatic factor in some cancers and an anti-tumor factor in others.
  • Further research into SPARC variants, including truncated and alternative splicing forms, is crucial for understanding its distinct effects.
  • SPARC variants may play a significant role in regulating transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)-induced EMT, offering potential therapeutic targets.

More Related Videos

Utilizing Functional Genomics Screening to Identify Potentially Novel Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Spheroid Cultures07:48

Utilizing Functional Genomics Screening to Identify Potentially Novel Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Spheroid Cultures

Published on: December 26, 2016

12.8K
Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies09:29

Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies

Published on: September 30, 2016

13.4K

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.0K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.0K
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
6.2K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
2.5K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.6K