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Understanding the function of the tumor microenvironment, and compounds from marine organisms for breast cancer

Rama Rao Malla1, Batoul Farran2, Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju3

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam 530045, AP, India.

World Journal of Biological Chemistry
|April 5, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Breast cancer (BC) progression involves complex signaling pathways and immune suppression. Marine compounds offer novel therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways for improved BC treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Marine Biotechnology

Background:

  • Breast cancer (BC) pathology, including metastasis and drug resistance, is driven by tumor microenvironment (TME) signaling pathways that suppress antitumor immunity.
  • Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key mediators of BC pathophysiological developments and immune suppression within the TME.
  • The complex biology of BC necessitates novel, personalized therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advances in breast neoplasia biology, encompassing cellular and molecular aspects, heterogeneity, and the TME.
  • To examine the role of novel molecules, specifically lncRNAs, in BC pathophysiology.
  • To provide an overview of anticancer compounds from marine sources and their synergistic potential in BC therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current research on breast cancer biology, TME, lncRNAs, and marine-derived anticancer compounds.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways involved in BC progression, metastasis, and immune evasion.
  • Evaluation of the potential synergistic effects of marine compounds with existing anticancer drugs.

Main Results:

  • BC progression is significantly influenced by TME signaling and lncRNA activity, impacting antitumor immunity.
  • Marine microorganisms, crustaceans, and fishes are sources of novel compounds with diverse anticancer effects.
  • Marine compounds show promise for synergistic effects when combined with conventional therapies, targeting multiple BC pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding BC's complex molecular and cellular biology, including the TME and lncRNAs, is crucial for developing effective treatments.
  • Marine-derived compounds represent a promising new avenue for BC therapy, offering unique mechanisms to target cancer progression.
  • Harnessing marine compounds could lead to innovative, synergistic therapeutic regimens to improve clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients.
Keywords:
AngiogenesisBreast cancerGrowthLong non-coding RNAsMarine compoundsMetastasisTumor microenvironment

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