Behind the Scenes: Endo/Exocytosis in the Acquisition of Metastatic Traits.

Abstract

Alterations of endo/exocytic proteins have long been associated with malignant transformation, and genes encoding membrane trafficking proteins have been identified as <i>bona fide</i> drivers of tumorigenesis. Focusing on the mechanisms underlying the impact of endo/exocytic proteins in cancer, a scenario emerges in which altered trafficking routes/networks appear to be preferentially involved in the acquisition of prometastatic traits. This involvement in metastasis frequently occurs through the integration of programs leading to migratory/invasive phenotypes, survival and resistance to environmental stresses, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and the emergence of cancer stem cells. These findings might have important implications in the clinical setting for the development of metastasis-specific drugs and for patient stratification to optimize the use of available therapies. <i>Cancer Res; 77(8); 1813-7. ©2017 AACR</i>.