title: Genetic regulation and potentially therapeutic application of cancer-associated fibroblasts in oral cancer.
abstract: Carcinoma-associated fibroblast (CAF) is the most important host cell type in tumor microenvironment, which greatly contributes to tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. Therefore, a large amount of data has emerged, showing the cancer-promoting function of these cells via paracrine effects that escort tumor cells through all the steps of cancer development. CAF is a heterogeneous cell population that can arise from the differentiation of resting fibroblasts, epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and mesenchymal stem cells. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the role of CAFs in tumor progression, with a particular focus on the cellular and molecular features and recent advances in researches on the genetic status and microRNA regulation, and addresses the potential prognostic and therapeutic values for patients with oral cancer by targeting CAFs.
authors.affiliation: School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Jingyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Anjie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhangui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D018390:Gene Targeting; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D019899:Paracrine Communication / Q000235:genetics; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000235:genetics
keywords: biomarkers; cancer-associated fibroblasts; microRNA; oral cancer; therapeutic target