Role of annexin A family in tumorigenesis and chemoresistance of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancer types and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among all malignant tumors worldwide. Due to insidious onset and lack of reliable early diagnostic markers, most GC patients are at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Annexin is an evolutionally-conserved Ca2+-dependent phospholipid-binding protein superfamily, including five members (A, B, C, D, and E). Annexins in the cells of vertebrates comprised the annexin A family, consisting of 12 members in humans. The biological functions of annexin A are Ca2+-signal transduction, vesicle transport, cell proliferation, cell division, cell apoptosis, signal transduction, anti-inflammatory, proangiogenesis, and anticoagulation, most of which overlap with the basic characteristics of tumors. Accumulating evidence indicated that members of the annexin A family are correlated with tumorigenesis and chemoresistance and can be used as potential tumor prognostic factors and targets for biological therapy. Thus, the current review focused on the role and relative mechanisms of the annexin A family in GC.