An overview of the regulatory role of annexin A1 in the tumor microenvironment and its prospective clinical application (Review)

Abstract

Although annexin A1 (ANXA1), a 37 kDa phospholipid-binding anti-inflammatory protein expressed in various tissues and cell types, has been investigated extensively for its regulatory role in cancer biology, studies have mainly focused on its intracellular role. However, cancer cells and stromal cells expressing ANXA1 have the ability to transmit signals within the tumor microenvironment (TME) through autocrine, juxtacrine, or paracrine signaling. This bidirectional crosstalk between cancer cells and their environment is also crucial for cancer progression, contributing to uncontrolled tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis and resistance to therapy. The present review explored the important role of ANXA1 in regulating the cell-specific crosstalk between various compartments of the TME and analyzed the guiding significance of the crosstalk effects in promotion or suppressing cancer progression in the development of cancer treatments. The literature shows that ANXA1 is critical for the regulation of the TME, indicating that ANXA1 signaling between cancer cells and the TME is a potential therapeutic target for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for impeding cancer development. Contents 1. Introduction 2. The regulatory mechanisms of ANXA1 expression and externalization 3. Regulation of the tumor vasculature by ANXA1 4. Effects of ANXA1 on different immune cells in the TME 5. ANXA1-mediated interaction with fibroblasts 6. Therapeutic significance and future prospects 7. Conclusion