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Roles of Integrins in Gastrointestinal Cancer Metastasis

Sicong Hou1, Jiaxin Wang2, Wenqian Li2

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
|December 6, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Integrins are key cell adhesion molecules implicated in cancer progression. This review highlights their dysregulated expression in gastrointestinal cancers and their role in metastasis.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Integrins are transmembrane receptors mediating cell adhesion and intracellular signaling.
  • Their complex roles in cancer have been historically unclear.
  • Altered integrin expression impacts signaling pathways and cancer progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on integrin function in cancer.
  • To emphasize dysregulated integrin expression in gastrointestinal cancers.
  • To elucidate integrin-mediated signaling in gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on integrins in cancer.
  • Focus on molecular mechanisms of integrin dysregulation.
  • Analysis of integrin roles in gastrointestinal cancer progression.

Main Results:

  • Integrins significantly influence cell adhesion and signaling in cancer.
  • Dysregulated integrin expression is linked to aberrant pathways in GC and CRC.
  • Integrins facilitate the metastatic progression of gastrointestinal cancers.

Conclusions:

  • Integrins play crucial roles in gastrointestinal cancer metastasis.
  • Targeting integrins offers potential therapeutic strategies for GC and CRC.
  • Further research into integrin mechanisms is vital for cancer treatment.
Keywords:
EMTcell signalingscolorectal cancergastric cancerintegrintranscription factors

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