Collagen XI Alpha 1 Chain, a Novel Therapeutic Target for Cancer Treatment

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in the progression of cancer. Collagen is the most abundant component in ECM, and is involved in the biological formation of cancer. Although type XI collagen is a minor fibrillar collagen, collagen XI alpha 1 chain (COL11A1) expression has been found to be upregulated in a variety of human cancers including colorectal, esophagus, glioma, gastric, head and neck, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, salivary gland, and renal cancers. High levels of COL11A1 usually predict poor prognosis, owing to its association with angiogenesis, invasion, and drug resistance in cancer. However, little is known about the specific mechanism through which COL11A1 regulates tumor progression. Here, we have organized and summarized recent developments regarding the interactions between COL11A1 and intracellular signaling pathways and selected therapeutic agents targeting COL11A1, as these indicate its potential as a target for treatment of cancers, especially epithelial ovarian cancer.

Automated summary

The upregulation of COL11A1 in various human cancers is associated with poor prognosis. The specific mechanism by which COL11A1 regulates tumor progression is not well understood. Recent studies have shown that COL11A1 interacts with intracellular signaling pathways and there are therapeutic agents targeting COL11A1, indicating its potential as a treatment target for cancers, especially epithelial ovarian cancer.