Biology of Extracellular Matrix

ICARDI, ANTONELLA; LOMPARDÍA, SL; PAPADAMETRIO, DL; ROSALES, PAOLO; DÍAZ, M; PIBUEL, MA; ALANIZ, LD; ALVAREZ, E

The Extracellular Matrix and the Tumor Microenvironment

Springer

Lugar: Cham; Año: 2022; p. 161 - 196

Tumors are most frequently induced by environmental factors with oncogenic potential. Beside tumor cells, cancer tissue contains several nonmalignant cells with well-defined function, embedded into the acellular extracellular matrix playing an important role in tumor progression. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an indispensable element of all tissues which can modulate cell growth, survival, migration, immune response, and drug resistance. Among its main molecular components are glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and proteoglycans (PGs), which have been shown to play fundamental roles either in physiological or malignant tissue. An important GAG of the ECM in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is hyaluronic acid, whose synthesis and degradation are altered in a variety of tumors. The biological effects of the abnormal accumulation of HA and the subsequent remodeling of the associated ECM differ according to the type of tumor. In this sense, the ECM-derived HA biological effects in different types of tumors are discussed below in this chapter. Additionally, we make it clear that approaches that interfere with HA metabolism may be a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer.