title: Special issue: Extracellular matrix: Therapeutic tools and targets in cancer treatment.
abstract: Extracellular matrix (ECM) constituents play not only structural roles during development and tissue homeostasis, but also many biological functions throughout life. Molecular diversity and a vast interactome provide the basis for this multi-functionality. Moreover, native or processed ECM molecules interact with various receptors, thereby activating signaling pathways that control cell differentiation, proliferation, adhesion and migration, all relevant to tumor biology. Thus, there is an emerging field focused on exploiting ECM components as novel therapeutic targets in the treatment of cancer and other diseases, providing potent tools to advance drug delivery and tissue penetration. In this special issue we provide a critical appraisal of this emerging field focusing on: 1) ECM proteins (matricellular proteins, collagen, elastin, fibronectin, proteoglycans), integrins, and protease-facilitated drug delivery; 2) ECM-derived therapeutics (hyaluronan, heparin, heparan sulfate), 3) ECM-like biomaterials, and 4) ECM as critical determinant in drug efficacy, with special emphasis on applications in tumor treatment.
authors.affiliation: Pharmazentrum Frankfurt/ZAFES, Institut für Allgemeine Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Klinikum der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Faculty of Dentistry, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Dieter P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins