“The role of the matricellular protein SPARC in the dynamic interaction between the tumor and the host.”

PODHAJCER OL, BENEDETTI L, GIROTTI MR, PRADA F, SALVATIERRA E, LLERA AS.

CANCER AND METASTASIS REVIEWS

Año: 2008 p. 1 - 10

0167-7659

Introduction Tumor growth is essentially the result of anTumor growth is essentially the result of an 15 evolving cross-talk between malignant and surroundingevolving cross-talk between malignant and surrounding 16 stromal cells (fibroblasts, endothelial cells and inflammato-stromal cells (fibroblasts, endothelial cells and inflammato- 17 ry cells). This heterogeneous mass of extracellular matrixry cells). This heterogeneous mass of extracellular matrix 18 and intermingled cells interact through cell–cell and cell–and intermingled cells interact through cell–cell and cell– 19 matrix contacts. Malignant cells also secrete solublematrix contacts. Malignant cells also secrete soluble 20 proteins that reach neighbor stromal cells, forcing them toproteins that reach neighbor stromal cells, forcing them to 21 provide the soil on which they will grow and metastasize.provide the soil on which they will grow and metastasize. 22 Discussion Different studies including expression arrayDiscussion Different studies including expression array 23 analysis identified the matricellular protein SPARC as aanalysis identified the matricellular protein SPARC as a 24 marker of poor prognosis in different cancer types. Furthermarker of poor prognosis in different cancer types. Further 25 evidence demonstrated that high SPARC levels are oftenevidence demonstrated that high SPARC levels are often 26 associated with the most aggressive and highly metastaticassociated with the most aggressive and highly metastatic 27 tumors. Here we describe the most recent evidence thattumors. Here we describe the most recent evidence that 28 links SPARC with human cancer progression, the contro-links SPARC with human cancer progression, the contro- 29 versy regarding its role in certain human cancers and theversy regarding its role in certain human cancers and the 30 physiological processes in which SPARC is involved:physiological processes in which SPARC is involved: 31 epithelial–mesenchymal transition, immune surveillanceepithelial–mesenchymal transition, immune surveillance 32 and angiogenesis. Its relevance as a potential target inand angiogenesis. Its relevance as a potential target in 33 cancer therapy is also discussed.cancer therapy is also discussed.