The spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor to distant organs is the major cause of death of cancer patients. Metastatic lesions are often resistent to cancer therapy because of the progressive phenotypic changes that they have undergone. Several genetic and epigenetic factors, both in the cell and in the host, contribute to the development of tumor progression towards metastases. In this review we will analyze the steps involved in tumor metastases, which can be potential targets for anti-metastatic therapy. One of the most critical events in cancer metastasis is the invasion of basement membranes. An assay which we developed over ten years ago, the matrigel "chemoinvasion" assay, has been a useful tool for studying the mechanisms involved in tumor and endothelial cell invasion of basement membranes and for the screening of anti-invasive agents. Here we will describe the assay and review some of the major results obtained with it.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02905254 | DOI Listing |
Cytotechnology
April 2025
Department of Genetics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana State India.
Targeting tumor angiogenesis with safe endogenous protein inhibitors is a promising therapeutic approach despite the plethora of the first line of emerging chemotherapeutic drugs. The extracellular matrix network in the blood vessel basement membrane and growth factors released from endothelial and tumor cells promote the neovascularization which supports the tumor growth. Contrastingly, small cleaved cryptic fragments of the C-terminal non collagenous domains of the same basement membrane display antiangiogenic effect.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNatl J Maxillofac Surg
November 2024
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Microinvasive oral squamous cell carcinoma (MISCC) is the early stage of oral cancer that shows a breach in the basement membrane, and the depth of invasion of the tumour is limited to 0.5-2mm into the papillary stroma. A review of the available data on MISCC was conducted to formulate a management protocol for MISCC and to assess the association of MISCC with oral potentially malignant disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEcancermedicalscience
November 2024
Department of Public Health Dentistry, DY Patil University School of Dentistry, Nerul Navi Mumbai, Sector 7, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 400706, Maharashtra, India.
Statement Of The Problem: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral cancer. During the invasion, tumour cells break through the basement membrane and penetrate the connective tissue to interact with the extracellular matrix. An attempt was made to evaluate the connective tissue changes in different grades of OSCCs, oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and Oral Epithelial Dysplasias.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets
January 2025
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Taizhou First People's Hospital, Huangyan Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China.
Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the role of the microrchidia (MORC) family, a group of chromatin remodeling proteins, as the therapeutic and prognostic markers for colorectal cancer (CRC).
Background: MORC protein family genes are a highly conserved nucleoprotein superfamily whose members share a common domain but have distinct biological functions. Previous studies have analyzed the roles of MORCs as epigenetic regulators and chromatin remodulators; however, the involvement of MORCs in the development and pathogenesis of CRC was less examined.
J Vis Exp
December 2024
Division of Exercise Physiology, Department of Health Professions, West Virginia University School of Medicine; Cancer Institute, West Virginia University School of Medicine; 3Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine;
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