Fusion of tumour cells with bone marrow-derived cells: a unifying explanation for metastasis.
The causes of metastasis remain elusive despite vast information on cancer cells. We posit that cancer cell fusion with macrophages or other migratory bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) provides an explanation. BMDC-tumour hybrids have been detected in numerous animal models and recently in human cancer. Molecular studies indicate that gene expression in such hybrids reflects a metastatic phenotype. Should BMDC-tumour fusion be found to underlie invasion and metastasis in human cancer, new approaches for therapy would surely follow.
Pawelek
John M
JM
Department of Dermatology and the Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-08059, USA. john.pawelek@yale.edu
Chakraborty
Ashok K
AK
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002678:Chimera / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*