Extracellular matrix players in metastatic niches

Metastatic niches support the survival and fitness of disseminated tumour cells (DTCs) in otherwise inhospitable tissue environments. The components of metastatic niches have remained a matter of conjecture, but recent reports, including one in a current issue of Nature, point at the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins periostin and tenascin C (TNC) as key metastatic niche molecules. By enhancing Wnt and Notch signalling in cancer cells, these proteins provide physical as well as signalling support for metastasis-initiating cells. These findings underscore the importance of the ECM environment in cancer and provide potential drug targets against metastasis.