Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Oncol. Jan 24, 2024; 15(1): 9-22
Published online Jan 24, 2024. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v15.i1.9
Inflammatory response in gastrointestinal cancers: Overview of six transmembrane epithelial antigens of the prostate in pathophysiology and clinical implications
Ze-Xuan Fang, Wen-Jia Chen, Zheng Wu, Yan-Yu Hou, Yang-Zheng Lan, Hua-Tao Wu, Jing Liu
Ze-Xuan Fang, Wen-Jia Chen, Zheng Wu, Yan-Yu Hou, Yang-Zheng Lan, Jing Liu, The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong Province, China
Hua-Tao Wu, Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Liu J and Fang ZX designed this study; Fang ZX, Chen WJ, and Wu Z searched the publications; Fang ZX, Chen WJ, Wu Z, Hou YY, Lan YZ, Wu HT, and Liu J interpreted the results, constructed the structure of the review, and prepared the tables; Fang ZX prepared the draft of the manuscript; Fang ZX and Chen WJ prepared the figures; Liu J revised the manuscript critically; and all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82273457; the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, No. 2021A1515012180, 2023A1515012762 and No. 2019A1515010962; Special Grant for Key Area Programs of Guangdong Department of Education, No. 2021ZDZX2040; Science and Technology Special Project of Guangdong Province, No. 210715216902829.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jing Liu, MD, PhD, Academic Research, Associate Professor, Research Scientist, Senior Scientist, The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, No. 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, Guangdong Province, China. jliu12@stu.edu.cn
Received: October 27, 2023
Peer-review started: October 27, 2023
First decision: November 11, 2023
Revised: November 24, 2023
Accepted: December 19, 2023
Article in press: December 19, 2023
Published online: January 24, 2024
Abstract

Chronic inflammation is known to increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancers (GICs), the common solid tumors worldwide. Precancerous lesions, such as chronic atrophic inflammation and ulcers, are related to inflammatory responses in vivo and likely to occur in hyperplasia and tumorigenesis. Unfortunately, due to the lack of effective therapeutic targets, the prognosis of patients with GICs is still unsatisfactory. Interestingly, it is found that six transmembrane epithelial antigens of the prostate (STEAPs), a group of metal reductases, are significantly associated with the progression of malignancies, playing a crucial role in systemic metabolic homeostasis and inflammatory responses. The structure and functions of STEAPs suggest that they are closely related to intracellular oxidative stress, responding to inflammatory reactions. Under the imbalance status of abnormal oxidative stress, STEAP members are involved in cell transformation and the development of GICs by inhibiting or activating inflammatory process. This review focuses on STEAPs in GICs along with exploring their potential molecular regulatory mechanisms, with an aim to provide a theoretical basis for diagnosis and treatment strategies for patients suffering from these types of cancers.

Keywords: Six transmembrane epithelial antigens of the prostate, Gastrointestinal cancer, Inflammation

Core Tip: Six transmembrane epithelial antigens of the prostate (STEAPs), a group of metal reductases, are closely related to intracellular oxidative stress, responding to an inflammatory reaction, while chronic inflammation is known to increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancers (GICs). This review of STEAPs in GICs provides a theoretical basis for diagnosis and treatment strategies for patients.