Open Access

Overview of the molecular mechanisms contributing to the formation of cancer‑associated adipocytes (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Yunpeng Tang
    • Wenkai Zhang
    • Tianqiang Sheng
    • Xi He
    • Xiangyang Xiong
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 3, 2021     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2021.12408
  • Article Number: 768
  • Copyright: © Tang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Adipocytes are the main stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. In addition to serving as energy stores for triglycerides, adipocytes may function as an active endocrine organ. The crosstalk between adipocytes and cancer cells was shown to promote the migration, invasion and proliferation of cancer cells and to cause phenotypic and functional changes in adipocytes. Tumor‑derived soluble factors, such as TNF‑α, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, Wnt3a, IL‑6, and exosomal microRNAs (miRNA/miRs), including miR‑144, miR‑126, miR‑155, as well as other miRNAs, have been shown to act on adipocytes at the tumor invasion front, resulting in the formation of cancer‑associated adipocytes (CAAs) with diminished reduced terminal differentiation markers and a dedifferentiated phenotype. In addition, the number and size of CAA lipid droplets have been found to be significantly reduced compared with those of mature adipocytes, whereas inflammatory cytokines and proteases are overexpressed. The aim of the present review was to summarize the latest findings on the biological changes of CAAs and the potential role of tumor‑adipocyte crosstalk in the formation of CAAs, in the hope of providing novel perspectives for breast cancer treatment.
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November-2021
Volume 24 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Tang Y, Zhang W, Sheng T, He X and Xiong X: Overview of the molecular mechanisms contributing to the formation of cancer‑associated adipocytes (Review). Mol Med Rep 24: 768, 2021.
APA
Tang, Y., Zhang, W., Sheng, T., He, X., & Xiong, X. (2021). Overview of the molecular mechanisms contributing to the formation of cancer‑associated adipocytes (Review). Molecular Medicine Reports, 24, 768. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2021.12408
MLA
Tang, Y., Zhang, W., Sheng, T., He, X., Xiong, X."Overview of the molecular mechanisms contributing to the formation of cancer‑associated adipocytes (Review)". Molecular Medicine Reports 24.5 (2021): 768.
Chicago
Tang, Y., Zhang, W., Sheng, T., He, X., Xiong, X."Overview of the molecular mechanisms contributing to the formation of cancer‑associated adipocytes (Review)". Molecular Medicine Reports 24, no. 5 (2021): 768. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2021.12408