Tumor-muscle communication in cancer-associated cachexia (Review) - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #cachexia
- #muscle-wasting
- #extracellular-vesicles
- Cancer-associated cachexia is characterized by skeletal muscle mass loss and anorexia due to tumor-derived inflammatory molecules and extracellular vesicles (EVs).
- EVs from tumor cells carry interleukins, microRNAs, and receptors for advanced glycation end-products, activating pathways like NF-κB in muscle cells.
- These factors lead to energy imbalance, oxidative stress, and increased transcription of ubiquitin ligases (e.g., muscle RING finger 1, Atrogin-1), driving muscle wasting.
- Cachexia involves suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.
- Further research is needed to understand tumor-muscle communication and the role of EVs in varying cachexia severity.
- Potential therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways could improve survival in cancer patients with cachexia.