Tetraspanins as regulators of the tumour microenvironment: implications for metastasis and therapeutic strategies

摘要: One of the hallmarks cancer is ability to activate invasion and metastasis (Hanahan et al., 2011). Cancer morbidity mortality are largely related spread primary, localised tumour adjacent distant sites (Pantel 2004). Appropriate management treatment decisions predicting metastatic disease at time diagnosis thus crucial, which supports better understanding process. There common events that occur during metastasis: dissociation from primary mass, reorganisation/remodelling extracellular matrix, cell migration, recognition transversal endothelial cells vascular circulation lodgement proliferation within ectopic stroma (Wells, 2006). key initial increased capability move, escaping regulation normal physiological control. The cellular cytoskeleton plays an important role in motility active cytoskeletal rearrangement can result disease. This change dynamics results manipulation plasma membrane balance between adhesion turn determines movement. Members tetraspanins play roles migration cancer-endothelial interactions, critical for metastasis. Their involvements dynamics, potential clinical application will be discussed this review. In particular, tetraspanin member, CD151, highlighted its major