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Updated: Mar 27, 2026
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A Novel Stromal Fibroblast-Modulated 3D Tumor Spheroid Model for Studying Tumor-Stroma Interaction and Drug Discovery
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Collagen-mediated pro-tumorigenic MAPK activation drives stromal-immune reprogramming in solid cancers
Junli Ding1,2, Hongxin Lin3,4,5, Hanfang Fan1,2
1Departments of Oncology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.
Frontiers in Immunology
|March 25, 2026
Summary
Intratumoral collagen deposition correlates with poor outcomes in gastric cancer by promoting angiogenesis and immunosuppression via MAPK signaling. This highlights collagen
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cancer Biology
- Tumor Microenvironment Research
Background:
- Intratumoral collagen deposition is a key feature of solid tumors.
- Collagen influences the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cancer progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical and molecular impact of collagen deposition.
- To understand collagen's role in modulating TME components and signaling pathways.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of transcriptomic data from public and in-house samples.
- Validation through in vitro and in vivo assays.
- Correlation analysis between collagen levels and TME features.
Main Results:
- High collagen deposition linked to poor outcomes and advanced stages in gastric cancer.
- Collagen positively correlated with vascular endothelial cells and M2 macrophages, indicating roles in angiogenesis and immunosuppression.
- Collagen activates the MAPK pathway, enhancing tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and M2 macrophage polarization.
Conclusions:
- Intratumoral collagen deposition drives gastric cancer progression via MAPK signaling.
- Collagen serves as a prognostic indicator and potential therapeutic target.
- Findings offer insights into TME remodeling and tumor progression in solid tumors.
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