Schematic diagram of roles of periostin (POSTN) in the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) microenvironment. (IMAGE)

Elsevier

Schematic diagram of roles of periostin (POSTN) in the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) microenvironment.

Caption

Direct contact with ESCC cells leads mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to become cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-like cells, which secrete periostin and activate the Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) pathways via integrin subunit beta 4 (ITGB4) in ESCC cells, promoting their migration. Periostin also promotes MSC and macrophage migration and contributes to the activation of tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)-like macrophage properties. MΦ, macrophage.

Credit

The American Journal of Pathology

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CC BY-NC-ND

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