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Bidirectional communication between cells and their microenvironment has a key function in normal tissue homeostasis, and in disease initiation, progression and a patient's prognosis, at the very least. The extracellular matrix (ECM), as an element of all tissues and cellular microenvironment, is a frequently overlooked component implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of several diseases. In the inflammatory microenvironment (IME), different alterations resulting from remodeling processes can affect ECM, progressively inducing cancer initiation and the passage toward a tumor microenvironment (TME). Indeed, it has been demonstrated that altered ECM components interact with a variety of surface receptors triggering intracellular signaling that affect cellular pathways in turn. This review aims to support the notion that the ECM and its alterations actively participate in the promotion of chronic inflammation and cancer initiation. In conclusion, some data obtained in cancer research with the employment of decellularized ECM (dECM) models are described. The reported results encourage the application of dECM models to investigate the short circuits contributing to the creation of distinct IME, thus representing a potential tool to avoid the progression toward a malignant lesion.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers14235903 | DOI Listing |
Cancer Metastasis Rev
September 2025
Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Gif-Sur-Yvette, 91198, France.
Integrins constitute a large and diverse family of cell adhesion molecules that play essential roles in regulating tumor cell differentiation, migration, proliferation, and neovascularization. Tumor cell-derived exosomes, a subtype of extracellular vesicles, are enriched with integrins that reflect their cells of origin. These exosomal integrins can promote extracellular matrix remodeling, immune suppression, and vascular remodeling and are closely linked to tumor progression and metastasis, acting as pivotal players in mediating organ-specific metastasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenes Immun
September 2025
Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
In coeliac disease (CeD), the epithelial lining (EL) of the small intestine is severely damaged by a complex auto-inflammatory response, leading intraepithelial lymphocytes to attack epithelial cells. To understand the intestinal changes and genetic regulation in CeD, we investigated the heterogeneity in the transcriptomic profile of the duodenal EL using RNA-seq and eQTL analysis on predicted cell types. The study included duodenal biopsies from 82 patients, grouped into controls, gluten-free diet treated CeD and untreated CeD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
September 2025
CReATe Fertility Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Cannabis consumption and legalization is increasing globally, raising concerns about its impact on fertility. In humans, we previously demonstrated that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its metabolites reach the ovarian follicle. An extensive body of literature describes THC's impact on sperm, however no such studies have determined its effects on the oocyte.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Rep Med
September 2025
Biological Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address:
The success of immune checkpoint inhibitors is limited by multiple factors, including poor T cell infiltration and function within tumors, partly due to a dense extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, we investigate modulating the ECM by targeting integrin α5β1, a major fibronectin-binding and organizing integrin, to improve immunotherapy outcomes. Use of a function-blocking murinized α5β1 antibody reduces fibronectin fibril formation, enhances CD8 T cell transendothelial migration, increases vascular permeability, and decreases vessel-associated collagen.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochem Biophys Res Commun
September 2025
Department of Ophthalmology, Hebei Medical University, NO. 361 Zhongshan East Road, Changan District, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Hebei General Hospital, NO. 348 Heping West Road, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, China. Electronic address
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is among the most prevalent complications linked to advanced diabetes. Capillary Basement membrane (CBM) thickening is an early clinical manifestation in DR, and Laminin α 1 (LAMA1) is one of the main extracellular matrix components involved in CBM formation. Dapagliflozin (DAPA) has demonstrated efficacy in ameliorating DR.
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