Targeting Versican as a Potential Immunotherapeutic Strategy in the Treatment of Cancer

A growing body of literature links events associated with the progression and severity of immunity and inflammatory disease with the composition of the tissue extracellular matrix as defined by the matrisome. One protein in the matrisome that is common to many inflammatory diseases is the large proteoglycan versican, whose varied function is achieved through multiple isoforms and post-translational modifications of glycosaminoglycan structures. In cancer, increased levels of versican are associated with immune cell phenotype, disease prognosis and failure to respond to treatment. Whether these associations between versican expression and tumour immunity are the result of a direct role in the pathogenesis of tumours is not clear. In this review, we have focused on the role of versican in the immune response as it relates to tumour progression, with the aim of determining whether our current understanding of the immunobiology of versican warrants further study as a cancer immunotherapy target.

Automated summary

Studies have shown a connection between the composition of the tissue extracellular matrix and the progression and severity of immunity and inflammatory diseases. The large proteoglycan versican plays a significant role in inflammatory diseases and cancer, but it is unclear whether its expression is directly involved in tumorigenesis. This review focuses on the role of versican in the immune response related to tumor progression, aiming to determine if further research is warranted for versican as a cancer immunotherapy target.