International Journal of Molecular Sciences

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Dear Colleagues,

The complexity and dynamic nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and interaction between stromal cells and cancer cells still remains a challenge for the pre- and clinical studies of tumors. The TME has been recognized as a factor influencing the treatment resistance of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. TME components, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) or tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), are associated with tumor biology and patient prognosis. They are mostly involved in cancer cell proliferation, changes in cancer cell metabolism, angiogenesis, metastasis formation or epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). TME promotes tumorigenesis by secreting cytokines and initiating extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. ECM proteins also play an important role in the regulation of cancer cell biology, metastatic potential and patient outcome. In this 2^ndSpecial Issue, we will discuss the biology of TME components and their interactions with cancer cells, as well as their impact on the effectiveness of therapy.

Prof. Dr. Piotr Dzięgiel
Dr. Katarzyna Nowińska
Guest Editors

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Keywords

cancer cells
tumor microenvironment
TME
cancer-associated fibroblasts
tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
tumor-associated macrophages
epithelial to mesenchymal transition
extracellular matrix
metastasis
cell proliferation

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 7802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association of Irisin/FNDC5 with ERRα and PGC-1α Expression in NSCLC

by Katarzyna Nowińska, Karolina Jabłońska, Urszula Ciesielska, Aleksandra Piotrowska, Katarzyna Haczkiewicz-Leśniak, Konrad Pawełczyk, Marzenna Podhorska-Okołów and Piotr Dzięgiel

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(22), 14204; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232214204 - 17 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1728

Abstract

The rapid growth and division of cancer cells are associated with mitochondrial biogenesis or switching to glycolysis. ERRα, PGC-1α and irisin/FNDC5 are some of the proteins that can influence these processes. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation of these proteins in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to investigate their association with clinicopathological parameters. Immunohistochemistry reactions were performed on tissue microarrays (860 NSCLC, 140 non-malignant lung tissue). The normal fibroblast cell line (IMR-90) and lung cancer cell lines (NCI-H1703 and NCI-H522) were used as co-cultures. The mRNA levels of FNDC5 and ESRRA (encoding ERRα) were assessed in IMR-90 cells after co-culture with lung cancer cells. We observed a decreased level of ERRα with an increase in tumor size (T), stages of the disease, and lymph node metastases (N). In the adenocarcinoma (AC) subtype, patients with a higher ERRα expression had significantly longer overall survival. A moderate positive correlation was observed between FNDC5 mRNA and ESRRA mRNA in NSCLCs. The expression of FNDC5 mRNA in IMR-90 cells increased after 24 h, and ESRRA gene expression increased after 48 h of co-culture. The ERRα receptor with PGC-1α participates in the control of FNDC5/irisin expression. Normal fibroblasts revealed an upregulation of the FNDC5 and ESRRA genes under the influence of lung cancer cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Interactions between Cancer Cells and Tumor Microenvironment 2.0)

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Review

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20 pages, 1048 KiB

Open AccessReview

Tumor-Associated Macrophages: Combination of Therapies, the Approach to Improve Cancer Treatment

by Pedram Moeini and Paulina Niedźwiedzka-Rystwej

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(13), 7239; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22137239 - 5 Jul 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5238

Abstract

Macrophages are one of the most important cells of the innate immune system and are known for their ability to engulf and digest foreign substances, including cellular debris and tumor cells. They can convert into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) when mature macrophages are recruited into the tumor microenvironment. Their role in cancer progression, metastasis, and therapy failure is of special note. The aim of this review is to understand how the presence of TAMs are both advantageous and disadvantageous in the immune system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Interactions between Cancer Cells and Tumor Microenvironment 2.0)

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