The possible mechanisms of tumor progression via CSF-1/CSF-1R pathway activation

CSF-1/CSF-1R (colony-stimulating factor-1/colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor) is the primary growth factor regulating the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of cells of the mononuclear phagocytic lineage. Multiple studies have demonstrated that CSF-1/CSF-1R plays a certain role in tumor tissues. CSF-1 binding to CSF-1R through the class III RTKs leads to a series of signal molecules responding to CSF-1 via various signaling pathway. Through these pathways, all signal molecules would promote development of tumor directly or contribute to progress of various cancers indirectly by increasing tumor-associated macrophages, for instance promoting tumor growth, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix breakdown, invasion, and metastasis. Thus, in this paper, we analysis multiple experimental results comprehensively, making a review about the mechanism of CSF-1/CSF-1R promoting tumor progression.