Metastasis Organotropism: Redefining the Congenial Soil

Yang Gao; Igor Bado; Hai Wang; Weijie Zhang; Jeffrey M Rosen; Xiang H-F Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2019.04.012

Metastasis Organotropism: Redefining the Congenial Soil

Dev Cell. 2019 May 6;49(3):375-391. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.04.012.

Authors

Yang Gao¹, Igor Bado¹, Hai Wang¹, Weijie Zhang¹, Jeffrey M Rosen², Xiang H-F Zhang³

Affiliations

¹ Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
² Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
³ Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; McNair Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: xiangz@bcm.edu.

Abstract

Metastasis is the most devastating stage of cancer progression and causes the majority of cancer-related deaths. Clinical observations suggest that most cancers metastasize to specific organs, a process known as "organotropism." Elucidating the underlying mechanisms may help identify targets and treatment strategies to benefit patients. This review summarizes recent findings on tumor-intrinsic properties and their interaction with unique features of host organs, which together determine organ-specific metastatic behaviors. Emerging insights related to the roles of metabolic changes, the immune landscapes of target organs, and variation in epithelial-mesenchymal transitions open avenues for future studies of metastasis organotropism.

Keywords: EMT; immune microenvironment; metabolism; metastasis; niche; organotropism; seed and soil.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Disease Progression
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / physiology*
Fibroblasts / metabolism
Humans
Neoplasm Invasiveness / pathology
Neoplasm Metastasis / pathology*
Neoplasms / metabolism
Neoplasms / pathology*
Tumor Microenvironment

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding