Papel de las quimiocinas en la progresión del melanoma / Role of Chemokines in Melanoma Progression

Las metástasis son la principal causa de mortalidad en el melanoma. Las quimiocinas son citocinas quimiotácticas de bajo peso molecular que permiten la migración celular, atrayendo a células que expresan sus receptores. Como algunas quimiocinas son abundantes en órganos que son asiento común de metastasis, y sus receptores son expresados por las células tumorales, se planteó la hipótesis de que un gradiente de estas quimiocinas facilitaría selectivamente las metástasis a esos órganos. El hallazgo posterior de la producción de estas quimiocinas por las propias células tumorales, y su efecto autocrino, obliga a modular esta hipótesis. Además, muchas quimiocinas tienen efectos contrapuestos dependiendo del tipo celular sobre el que actúan (tumoral, inflamatorio/ inmunitario, endotelial), su estado funcional y otras interacciones moleculares. En el melanoma las células tumorales adquieren ventajas de la expresión de quimiocinas y receptores alterando su microambiente, estimulando la angiogénesis y evadiendo la respuesta inmune, facilitando así la progresión tumoral (AU)

Metastasis is the main cause of death from melanoma. Chemokines are low molecular weight chemotactic cytokines that facilitate cellular migration. Thus, cells that express receptors for a given chemokine are attracted to the site of its production. As certain chemokines are found in abundance in organs that are common targets of metastasis and receptors for these chemokines are expressed by tumor cells, it was hypothesized that chemokine gradients might selectively facilitate metastasis to these organs. A later finding that these chemokines were produced by tumor cells, with evidence of autocrine effects, obliged the modification of that hypothesis. Many chemokines are also known to have opposing effects according to the type of cell they are acting on (tumor, inflammatory/immune, or endothelial cells), their functional status, or interactions with other molecules. The expression of chemokines and their receptors by melanoma cells enhances tumor progression by altering their microenvironment, stimulating angiogenesis, and inhibiting the immune response (AU)

[Role of chemokines in melanoma progression]. / Papel de las quimiocinas en la progresión del melanoma.

Metastasis is the main cause of death from melanoma. Chemokines are low molecular weight chemotactic cytokines that facilitate cellular migration. Thus, cells that express receptors for a given chemokine are attracted to the site of its production. As certain chemokines are found in abundance in organs that are common targets of metastasis and receptors for these chemokines are expressed by tumor cells, it was hypothesized that chemokine gradients might selectively facilitate metastasis to these organs. A later finding that these chemokines were produced by tumor cells, with evidence of autocrine effects, obliged the modification of that hypothesis. Many chemokines are also known to have opposing effects according to the type of cell they are acting on (tumor, inflammatory/immune, or endothelial cells), their functional status, or interactions with other molecules. The expression of chemokines and their receptors by melanoma cells enhances tumor progression by altering their microenvironment, stimulating angiogenesis, and inhibiting the immune response.