From: Identifying cancer-associated fibroblasts as emerging targets for hepatocellular carcinoma
CAFs secretion | Molecules | Effect on HCC | Mechanism | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
ECM proteins | BMP4 | Invasion | Trigger cytokines through SMAD pathway | [51] |
COMP | Proliferation, migration, invasion, | Promote EMT process | [30] | |
MMP9 | Invasion, metastasis | – | [53] | |
Growth factors | HGF | Proliferation | – | [54] |
Stemness | Facilitate c-Met/ FRA1/ HEY1Â signaling and STAT3 signaling | |||
TGF-β | Induce VM | VE-cadherin/MMP2/LAMC2 networks | [57] | |
VEGF | Angiogenesis | – | [58] | |
PDGF-C | Angiogenesis | – | [59] | |
PGF | Angiogenesis | – | [60] | |
Cytokines | CXCL12 | Proliferation, migration, invasion | – | [49] |
Induce VM | Activate VE-cadherin/ MMP2/LAMC2 network | [57] | ||
Immunosuppression | Recruit monocytes and facilitate differentiation into MDSCs in IL-6-STAT3-dependent manner | [61] | ||
IL-6 | Proliferation, migration, invasion | Activate mTOR signaling | [62] | |
Immunosuppression | Activate STAT3 signaling | |||
Stemness | IL-6/STAT3/notch signaling | |||
CCL2, CCL5 | Migration | Hh pathway | [66] | |
CCL7, CXCL16 | Migration, invasion | TGF-β signaling | [66] | |
FOXQ1 | Initiation | Trans-activate NDRG1 | [67] | |
Extracellular vesicles | Exsomal miR-320a | Suppress proliferation, migration | Inhibit the MAPK pathway | [68] |