title: C-type lectins facilitate tumor metastasis.
abstract: Metastasis, a life-threatening complication of cancer, leads to the majority of cases of cancer-associated mortality. Unfortunately, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer metastasis remain to be fully elucidated. C-type lectins are a large group of proteins, which share structurally homologous carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs) and possess diverse physiological functions, including inflammation and antimicrobial immunity. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the contribution of C-type lectins in different steps of the metastatic spread of cancer. Notably, a substantial proportion of C-type lectins, including selectins, mannose receptor (MR) and liver and lymph node sinusoidal endothelial cell C-type lectin, are important molecular targets for the formation of metastasesin vitroandin vivo. The present review summarizes what has been found regarding C-type lectins in the lymphatic and hematogenous metastasis of cancer. An improved understanding the role of C-type lectins in cancer metastasis provides a comprehensive perspective for further clarifying the molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis and supports the development of novel C-type lectins-based therapies the for prevention of metastasis in certain types of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jingmen First People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dongbing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jingmen First People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Songbai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jingmen First People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunjie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jingmen First People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yonglian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: C-type lectins; lectin; metastasis; tumor