Modulating extracellular matrix stiffness: a strategic approach to boost cancer immunotherapy

The interplay between extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness and the tumor microenvironment is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in cancer progression and the efficacy of immunotherapy. This review comprehensively discusses the key factors regulating ECM remodeling, including the activation...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inCell death & disease Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 307 - 16
Main Authors Mai, Zizhao, Lin, Yunfan, Lin, Pei, Zhao, Xinyuan, Cui, Li
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.05.2024
Springer Nature B.V
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects
631/67
692/699/67/1059/2325
Animals
Antibodies
Biochemistry
Biomaterials
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cancer
Cancer immunotherapy
Cancer vaccines
Cell Biology
Cell Culture
Cell therapy
Extracellular matrix
Extracellular Matrix - metabolism
Humans
Immune checkpoint inhibitors
Immunology
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy - methods
Life Sciences
Neoplasms - immunology
Neoplasms - pathology
Neoplasms - therapy
Oncolysis
Review
Review Article
Tumor microenvironment
Tumor Microenvironment - immunology
Tumors
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:The interplay between extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness and the tumor microenvironment is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in cancer progression and the efficacy of immunotherapy. This review comprehensively discusses the key factors regulating ECM remodeling, including the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts and the accumulation and crosslinking of ECM proteins. Furthermore, it provides a detailed exploration of how ECM stiffness influences the behaviors of both tumor and immune cells. Significantly, the impact of ECM stiffness on the response to various immunotherapy strategies, such as immune checkpoint blockade, adoptive cell therapy, oncolytic virus therapy, and therapeutic cancer vaccines, is thoroughly examined. The review also addresses the challenges in translating research findings into clinical practice, highlighting the need for more precise biomaterials that accurately mimic the ECM and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The insights offered aim to guide future research, with the potential to enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy modalities.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
ObjectType-Review-3
content type line 23
ISSN:2041-4889
2041-4889
DOI:10.1038/s41419-024-06697-4