Table 1.
Mechanisms used by CAFs to promote ovarian cancer biological processes.
| Perspectives | Mediators | Mechanisms | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facilitate tumor growth, proliferation, and metastasis | CTHRC1 | Activates EGFR/ERK1/2/AKT signaling pathway | [45] |
| COL11A1 | Activates ERK pathway; induces activation of TGF-β1-MMP3 axis |
[46,47] | |
| VCAN | Activates NF-κB pathway; upregulates expression of CD44, MMP-9, and the hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor |
[48] | |
| HGF | Activates the c-Met/PI3K/Akt and GRP78 signaling pathways | [49] | |
| FGF-1 | Activates FGF-1/FGF-4 signaling; activates the MAPK/ERK pathway; upregulates EMT-related genes |
[50] | |
| Avert immune regulation | TGF-β | Inhibits effector immune cells; regulates innate and adaptive immune cells |
[51,52,53,54] |
| PS-1 | via the WNT/β-catenin pathway | [55] | |
| CXCL12 | CXCR4-dependent pathway; prevents effector T cells from making contact with cancer cells; enhances recruitment of Tregs |
[41,56] | |
| IL-33 | Modifies the immune microenvironment; drives type 2 immunity |
[57] | |
| IL-6 | Activates the STAT3 pathway; induces transformation of CD8+ T cells into highly cytotoxic cells |
[58] | |
| Metabolic regulation | p38αMAPK | Provides a tunnel for glycolysis | [59] |
| CXCL14 | Upregulates the expression of long non-coding RNALINC00092; alters glycolysis |
[60] | |
| ROS | Induces autophagy, mitophagy, and glycolysis via NF-κB activation, with upregulation of MCT4 and loss of Cav-1 expression |
[61,62] |
AKT: protein kinase; Cav-1: caveolin-1; CTHRC1: collagen triple helix repeat containing-1; COL11A1: collagen type XI alpha 1 chain; CXCL12: C-X-C chemokine ligand 12; CXCL14: C-X-C chemokine ligand 14; EGFR: epidermal growth factor receptor; ERK: extracellular signal-regulated kinase; EMT: epithelial–mesenchymal transition; FGF-1: fibroblast growth factor-1; GRP78: glucose-regulating protein 78; HGF: hepatocyte growth factor; IL-6: interleukin-6; IL-33: interleukin-33; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinases; MMP3: matrix metalloproteinase-3; MCT4: monocarboxylate transporters 4; PFKFB2: 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 2; PI3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PS-1: presenilin-1; STAT3: signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; TGF-β: transforming growth factor-beta; VCAN: versican.