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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2014; 20(22): 6826-6831
Published online Jun 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6826
Input of microenvironmental regulation on colorectal cancer: Role of the CCN family
Cheng-Chi Chang, Been-Ren Lin, Tai-Sheng Wu, Yung-Ming Jeng, Min-Liang Kuo
Cheng-Chi Chang, Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Cheng-Chi Chang, Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Been-Ren Lin, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Tai-Sheng Wu, Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Yung-Ming Jeng, Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Min-Liang Kuo, Institute of Biochemical Sciences, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Min-Liang Kuo, Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Min-Liang Kuo, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Author contributions: Chang CC and Lin BR contributed to the study idea, study design, literature search, manuscript writing and final revision of the article; Wu TS and Jeng YM contributed to the manuscript writing and the final revision of the article; Kuo ML contributed to the study design, manuscript writing and the final revision of the article.
Correspondence to: Min-Liang Kuo, Professor, Institute of Biochemical Sciences, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road No. 1, Taipei 100, Taiwan. kuominliang@ntu.edu.tw
Telephone: +886-2-23123456 Fax: +886-2-23410217
Received: September 27, 2013
Revised: December 25, 2013
Accepted: February 20, 2014
Published online: June 14, 2014
Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health problem causing significant morbidity and mortality. Previous results from various studies indicate that CRC tumorigenicity encompasses tumor microenvironment, emphasizing the complex interacting network between cancer cells and nearby host cells, which triggers diverse signaling pathways to promote the growth and spread of cancer cells. The CCN family proteins share a uniform modular structure, mediating a variety of physiological functions, including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, adhesion, differentiation, and survival. Furthermore, CCN proteins are also involved in CRC initiation and development. Many studies have shown that CCN members, such as CCN1, CCN2, CCN3, Wnt-induced secreted protein (WISP)-1, WISP-2, and WISP-3, are dysregulated in CRC, which implies potential diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets clinically. In this review, we summarize the research findings on the role of CCN family proteins in CRC initiation, development, and progression, highlighting their potential for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic application.

Keywords: Microenvironment, Colorectal cancer, CCN proteins, Tumorigenicity, Cancer progression

Core tip: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health problem causing significant morbidity and mortality. Many studies have revealed that CCN members, such as CCN1, CCN2, CCN3, Wnt-induced secreted protein (WISP)-1, WISP-2, and WISP-3, are dysregulated in CRC, which implied potential diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets clinically. In this review, we summarize the research findings on the role of CCN family proteins in CRC initiation, development, and progression, highlighting their potential for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic application, as well as discussing future perspectives.