Secretome and Its Maturation in Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis

Dear Colleagues,

Tumor progression is characterized by the gradual acquisition of various cellular aberrations resulting in malignant behavior such as lack of control in cell proliferation, migration, and survival. These processes are mediated by molecular interactions resulting from the dissolution of tissue barriers through the degradative activity of enzymes such as proteinases, growth modulation by auto/paracrine, host-derived peptide growth factors, and cell–cell or cell–extracellular matrix communication through specific adhesion receptors, such as integrins, which regulate tumor cell attachment, spreading, and migration. In recent years, the alteration in the secretion and the proteolytic activation of these proteins by the proprotein convertases were identified as an essential step in oncogenesis and metastasis. This by allowing tumor cells to produce specific secretomes and/or modulating the biological activity of the secreted proteins.

This Special Issue will focus on how mechanisms that regulate protein secretion and proteolytic activation are involved in tumor progression and metastasis. The issue will include all aspects of how secretome and proprotein convertase functions constitute new regulators of tumors and their microenvironment activity and how their targeting could be used as a therapeutic or prognostic strategy.

Dr. Majid Khatib
Guest Editor

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