A CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in regulation of tumor behaviors by ionizing radiation / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

ABSTRACT

In addition to induce cell death in tumor cells, ionizing radiation (IR) regulates many biological behaviors of malignant tumors, such as intrinsic radiosensitivity, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, as well as immune response of tumor cells. The C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4 are highly expressed in a variety of malignant tumors, and are involved in the process of remote metastasis, blood vessel formation, immune regulation, and therapeutic resistance of malignant tumors. Recent studies have found that the CXCL12/CXCR4 signal axis plays critical roles in the IR-regulated biological behavior of malignant tumors. This paper reviews the roles of CXCL12/CXCR4 signal axis in the biological behavior changes of irradiated malignant tumors.