Biophysical Properties of Extracellular Matrix: Linking Obesity and Cancer

Joseph E Druso; Claudia Fischbach

doi:10.1016/j.trecan.2018.02.001

Biophysical Properties of Extracellular Matrix: Linking Obesity and Cancer

Trends Cancer. 2018 Apr;4(4):271-273. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2018.02.001. Epub 2018 Mar 10.

Authors

Joseph E Druso¹, Claudia Fischbach²

Affiliations

¹ Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
² Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Electronic address: cf99@cornell.edu.

Abstract

Obesity has been associated with increased severity of diagnoses for several types of cancer, and recent evidence suggests that the mechanism by which obese tissues contribute to cancer progression involves the extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding the physicochemical differences between lean and obese ECM, and how cancer cells respond to these differences, promises therapeutic insight.

Keywords: cancer; extracellular matrix; obesity.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Review

MeSH terms

Adipokines / metabolism
Adipose Tissue / metabolism
Adipose Tissue / pathology*
Biophysical Phenomena*
Carcinogenesis / metabolism
Carcinogenesis / pathology
Disease Progression
Extracellular Matrix / pathology*
Humans
Neoplasms / metabolism
Neoplasms / pathology*
Obesity / metabolism*

Substances

Adipokines

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grant support