CXCR6: the role of environment in tumor progression. Challenges for therapy.
The role of chemokines in tumor progression is an essential event that leads to homing and metastasis of tumor cells in a receptor-dependent, organ specific manner. In recent years, the involvement of CXCR6 and its ligand CXCL16 in tumor progression is becoming more evident. Here I review the recent literature on CXCR6/CXCL16. Since CXCR6 was shown recently to be involved in stem cell self renewal and the same cytokine is expressed by a subpopulation of melanoma cells, I discuss new evidences on cancer stem cell theory and the involvement of CXCR6. In particular, in the effort to develop more specific strategies to stop the tumor growth, the present review proposes and discusses the possibility to modulate tumor self renewal affecting asymmetric/symmetric cell division targeting specific factors such as CXCR6.
Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. caterina.laporta@unimi.it
Caterina A M
CA
La Porta
D000818:Animals; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000075743:Chemokine CXCL16; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000075744:Receptors, CXCR6; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
C111835:CCL2 protein, human; C423727:CXCL16 protein, human; C106330:CXCR6 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D000075743:Chemokine CXCL16; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000075744:Receptors, CXCR6; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; D011991:Receptors, Virus