The immunological effect of hyaluronan in tumor angiogenesis

SPINELLI FIORELLA; VITALE DAINA; DEMARCHI G; CAROLINA CRISTINA; ALANIZ LAURA

Clinical & Translational Immunology

Nature Publishing Group

Lugar: USA; Año: 2015 vol. 4

The relationship between the immune system and angiogenesis has been described in several contexts, both in physiological andpathological conditions, as pregnancy and cancer. In fact, different types of immune cells, such as myeloid, macrophages anddenditric cells, are able to modulate tumor neovascularization. On the other hand, tumor microenvironment also includesextracellular matrix components like hyaluronan, which has a deregulated synthesis in different tumors. Hyaluronan is aglycosaminoglycan, normally present in the extracellular matrix of tissues in continuous remodeling (embryogenesis or woundhealing processes) and acts as an important modulator of cell behavior by different mechanisms, including angiogenesis. In thisreview, we discuss hyaluronan as a modulator of tumor angiogenesis, focusing in intracellular signaling mediated by its receptorsexpressed on different immune cells. Recent observations suggest that the immune system is an important component intumoural angiogenesis. Therefore, immune modulation could have an impact in anti-angiogenic therapy as a new therapeuticstrategy, which in turn might improve effectiveness of treatment in cancer patients