The role of P-selectin in cancer-associated thrombosis and beyond

Cells in our body interact with their environment by a large group of diverse cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). CAMs are involved in intercellular, intracellular, and cell-extra-cellular matrix (ECM) interactions. Besides their role in cell adhesion, CAMs regulate cell growth and motility, and various signal transduction pathways as well as inflammation. P-Selectin (SELP) is an adhesion molecule that belongs to the Selectin family of proteins, which are expressed by different cell types such as platelets, endothelial and immune cells, as well as several types of cancer cells. The high expression of SELP by activated platelets makes it an important component in the pathogenesis of thrombosis, in general, and in cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT), in particular. Interestingly, the mechanisms by which SELP mediates CAT are associated with tumor-promoting processes such as inflammation and metastasis establishment. Moreover, SELP was shown to have a role in tumor-host interactions and cancer immunity. Thus, SELP has been the focus of several studies exploring its role in cancer progression. In this review, we explore the current knowledge on the role of SELP in CAT, tumor biology and immunology, in addition to recent advances in SELP-targeted therapies.