Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targets
Abstract The activity of neurons in the vicinity of tumors is linked to a spectrum of cellular mechanisms, including the facilitation of tumor cell proliferation, synapse formation, angiogenesis, and macrophage polarization. This review consolidates the current understanding of neuro-oncological reg...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Molecular Cancer |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02246-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1825197622054354944 |
|---|---|
| author | Yu Zhang Qili Liao Xuyang Wen Jiayan Fan Tifei Yuan Xuemei Tong Renbing Jia Peiwei Chai Xianqun Fan |
| author_facet | Yu Zhang Qili Liao Xuyang Wen Jiayan Fan Tifei Yuan Xuemei Tong Renbing Jia Peiwei Chai Xianqun Fan |
| author_sort | Yu Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The activity of neurons in the vicinity of tumors is linked to a spectrum of cellular mechanisms, including the facilitation of tumor cell proliferation, synapse formation, angiogenesis, and macrophage polarization. This review consolidates the current understanding of neuro-oncological regulation, underscoring the nuanced interplay between neurological and oncological processes (termed as Cancer-Neuroscience). First, we elucidated how the nervous system accelerates tumor growth, metastasis, and the tumor microenvironment both directly and indirectly through the action of signaling molecules. Importantly, neural activity is also implicated in modulating the efficacy of therapeutic interventions, including immunotherapy. On the contrary, the nervous system potentially has a suppressive effect on tumorigenesis, further underscoring a dual-edged role of neurons in cancer progression. Consequently, targeting specific signaling molecules within neuro-oncological regulatory pathways could potentially suppress tumor development. Future research is poised to explore the intricate mechanisms governing neuro-tumor interactions more deeply, while concurrently refining treatment strategies for tumors by targeting the crosstalk between cancer and neurons. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-74a13bd86afd46c9b7d4b8770aaabfc5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1476-4598 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Cancer |
| spelling | doaj-art-74a13bd86afd46c9b7d4b8770aaabfc52025-02-09T12:15:54ZengBMCMolecular Cancer1476-45982025-02-0124111410.1186/s12943-025-02246-5Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targetsYu Zhang0Qili Liao1Xuyang Wen2Jiayan Fan3Tifei Yuan4Xuemei Tong5Renbing Jia6Peiwei Chai7Xianqun Fan8Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineAbstract The activity of neurons in the vicinity of tumors is linked to a spectrum of cellular mechanisms, including the facilitation of tumor cell proliferation, synapse formation, angiogenesis, and macrophage polarization. This review consolidates the current understanding of neuro-oncological regulation, underscoring the nuanced interplay between neurological and oncological processes (termed as Cancer-Neuroscience). First, we elucidated how the nervous system accelerates tumor growth, metastasis, and the tumor microenvironment both directly and indirectly through the action of signaling molecules. Importantly, neural activity is also implicated in modulating the efficacy of therapeutic interventions, including immunotherapy. On the contrary, the nervous system potentially has a suppressive effect on tumorigenesis, further underscoring a dual-edged role of neurons in cancer progression. Consequently, targeting specific signaling molecules within neuro-oncological regulatory pathways could potentially suppress tumor development. Future research is poised to explore the intricate mechanisms governing neuro-tumor interactions more deeply, while concurrently refining treatment strategies for tumors by targeting the crosstalk between cancer and neurons.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02246-5CancerNervous systemNeurotransmittersNeurotrophic factorsTumor microenvironmentTherapeutic implications |
| spellingShingle | Yu Zhang Qili Liao Xuyang Wen Jiayan Fan Tifei Yuan Xuemei Tong Renbing Jia Peiwei Chai Xianqun Fan Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targets Molecular Cancer Cancer Nervous system Neurotransmitters Neurotrophic factors Tumor microenvironment Therapeutic implications |
| title | Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targets |
| title_full | Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targets |
| title_fullStr | Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targets |
| title_short | Hijacking of the nervous system in cancer: mechanism and therapeutic targets |
| title_sort | hijacking of the nervous system in cancer mechanism and therapeutic targets |
| topic | Cancer Nervous system Neurotransmitters Neurotrophic factors Tumor microenvironment Therapeutic implications |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02246-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yuzhang hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT qililiao hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT xuyangwen hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT jiayanfan hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT tifeiyuan hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT xuemeitong hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT renbingjia hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT peiweichai hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets AT xianqunfan hijackingofthenervoussystemincancermechanismandtherapeutictargets |