Impact of CD44 alternative splicing on the response to anticancer drugs - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #anticancer drug response
- #CD44 alternative splicing
- #cancer stem cells
- CD44, a transmembrane glycoprotein and cancer stem cell marker, influences tumor initiation, progression, and multidrug resistance through alternative splicing, which produces variant isoforms (CD44v).
- The balance between standard (CD44s) and variant isoforms affects malignant traits, including self-renewal, chemoresistance via drug transporter changes, antioxidant defense, metabolic reprogramming, and survival pathway upregulation.
- CD44v interactions with the tumor microenvironment promote cell migration, adhesion, and metastasis, impacting tumor aggressiveness and patient prognosis.
- Therapeutic strategies targeting CD44v include small-molecule inhibitors, nucleic acid-based methods, monoclonal antibodies, and peptide inhibitors, but their safety profiles are not well-defined and may disrupt normal immune and tissue functions.
- Mechanistic understanding of CD44v functions is crucial for developing isoform-specific interventions and biomarkers to combat chemoresistance and improve clinical outcomes.