title: NG2/HMP proteoglycan as a cancer therapeutic target.
abstract: Neuroepithelial cells of the central nervous system constitute neuroglia (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia), ependyma, and neurons, which make up the stromal cells of the brain. The stromal tissue organization of the brain is tightly regulated, but occasionally the signals that define the normal contexts become disrupted and result in cancer. Malignant progression is then maintained by cross-talks between the tumor and its stroma, where the activated stroma nurtures the proliferative and invasive neoplastic cells, by providing neovasculature, extracellular matrix components, and stimulatory growth factors. The NG2/HMP plays a major role in tumor-stroma activation through alterations in cellular adhesion, migration, proliferation, and vascular morphogenesis. Therapeutic strategies specifically targeting NG2/HMP may be useful in normalizing the tumor stroma and may reduce the toxic side effects when used in combination with conventional treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine, Section of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chekenya
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Immervoll
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4