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Integrins in Cancer Drug Resistance: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

Yoshinobu Kariya1, Michiru Nishita1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima City 960-1295, Fukushima, Japan.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|April 17, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Drug resistance causes most cancer deaths. This review explores how integrins, cell adhesion molecules, contribute to cancer drug resistance and their potential as therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Oncology
  • Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

  • Drug resistance is a major cause of cancer mortality.
  • Integrins are transmembrane proteins crucial for cell-matrix interactions and signaling.
  • Integrins are increasingly recognized for their role in promoting cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review integrin function, classification, and their role in cancer drug resistance.
  • To highlight key mechanisms by which integrins mediate drug resistance.
  • To summarize the therapeutic potential of targeting integrins in resistant cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on integrins and cancer drug resistance.
  • Analysis of integrin involvement in pathways like EMT, stemness, and immune evasion (PD-L1).
  • Synthesis of information on integrins, ECM, drug transporters, and glycosylation in resistance.

Main Results:

  • Integrins are highly expressed in cancers and drive invasion and metastasis.
  • Integrins contribute to drug resistance through diverse mechanisms including ECM interactions, altered drug transport, EMT, and cancer stemness.
  • Specific focus on integrin's role in PD-L1 expression and glycosylation in resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Integrins are critical mediators of cancer drug resistance.
  • Targeting integrins offers a promising strategy to overcome therapeutic challenges in resistant cancers.
  • Further research into integrin-targeted therapies is warranted for improved cancer treatment outcomes.
Keywords:
PD-L1cancercancer stem cell (CSC)drug resistancedrug transporterepithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)extracellular matrix (ECM)glycosylationintegrintyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)

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