Open AccessInvolvement of CXCL12 Pathway in HPV-related Diseases
Author(s) -
Nádia Calvo Martins Okuyama,
Fernando Cezar dos Santos,
Kleber Paiva Trugilo,
Karen Brajão de Oliveira
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
aims medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2375-1576
pISSN - 2375-155X
DOI - 10.3934/medsci.2016.4.417
Subject(s) - chemokine , angiogenesis , stromal cell , metastasis , biology , cxcr4 , carcinogenesis , cancer research , context (archaeology) , immunology , tumor microenvironment , inflammation , cancer , immune system , cervical cancer , medicine , genetics , paleontology
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary cause of cervical cancer in women worldwide. However, the HPV infection is not sufficient to cause neoplasia, and immune mediators, such as chemokines, are important in this context, since they are involved in the regulation of leukocyte trafficking in many essential biological processes, including inflammation. Prolonged inflammation is thought to facilitate carcinogenesis by providing a microenvironment that is ideal for tumor cell development and growth. Chemokines also contribute to tumor development by promoting angiogenesis and metastasis. Among these molecules we highlight the chemokine CXCL12, also called stromal-derived factor 1 alpha (SDF1-α), a pleiotropic chemokine capable of eliciting multiple signal transduction cascades and functions, via interaction with either CXCR4 or CXCR7, which have been implicated in malignant cell survival, proliferation and migration. This review will focus on our current knowledge in the pathogenesis of HPV infection, the main aspects of CXCL12 signaling, its participation in tumor development and immunodeficiencies that may enable the HPV infection. We also discuss how CXCL12 gene expression and polymorphisms may influence tumor development, especially cervical cancer. Finally, we highlight how the inhibition of CXCL12 pathway may be an attractive alternative for cancer therapeutics