Am J Cancer Res 2013;3(1):46-57
Review Article
The Role of chemokine receptor CXCR4 in breast cancer metastasis
Debarati Mukherjee, Jihe Zhao
Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
Received November 21, 2012; Accepted December 25, 2012; Epub January 18, 2013; Published January 25, 2013
Abstract: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths worldwide. Breast cancer-related mortality is
associated with the development of metastatic potential of primary tumor lesions. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 has been
found to be a prognostic marker in various types of cancer, including breast cancer. Recent advances in the field of cancer
biology has pointed to the critical role that CXCR4 receptor and its ligand CXCL12 play in the metastasis of various types of
cancer, including breast cancer. Breast tumors preferentially metastasize to the lung, bones and lymph nodes, all of which
represent organs that secrete high levels of CXCL12. CXCL12 acts as a chemoattractant that drives CXCR4-positive primary
tumor cells towards secondary metastatic sites leading to the onset of metastatic lesions. Since its discovery in 2001, the
CXCR4 field has progressed at a very fast rate and further studies have pointed to the role of CXCR4 in dissemination of tumor
cells from primary sites, transendothelial migration of tumor cells as well as the trafficking and homing of cancer stem cells.
This review summarizes the information that has been obtained over the years regarding the role of CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling
in breast cancer, discusses its potential application to the development of new therapeutic tools for breast cancer control, and
elucidates the potential therapeutic challenges which lie ahead and the future directions that this field can take for the
improvement of prognosis in breast cancer patients. (ajcr0000162).
Keywords: CXCR4, CXCL12, breast cancer
Address all correspondence to:
Dr. Jihe Zhao, Burnett
School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine,
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827,
USA. Phone: 407-2667099; Fax: 407-2667002;
E-mail: jihe.zhao@ucf.edu
Review Article
The Role of chemokine receptor CXCR4 in breast cancer metastasis
Debarati Mukherjee, Jihe Zhao
Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
Received November 21, 2012; Accepted December 25, 2012; Epub January 18, 2013; Published January 25, 2013
Abstract: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths worldwide. Breast cancer-related mortality is
associated with the development of metastatic potential of primary tumor lesions. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 has been
found to be a prognostic marker in various types of cancer, including breast cancer. Recent advances in the field of cancer
biology has pointed to the critical role that CXCR4 receptor and its ligand CXCL12 play in the metastasis of various types of
cancer, including breast cancer. Breast tumors preferentially metastasize to the lung, bones and lymph nodes, all of which
represent organs that secrete high levels of CXCL12. CXCL12 acts as a chemoattractant that drives CXCR4-positive primary
tumor cells towards secondary metastatic sites leading to the onset of metastatic lesions. Since its discovery in 2001, the
CXCR4 field has progressed at a very fast rate and further studies have pointed to the role of CXCR4 in dissemination of tumor
cells from primary sites, transendothelial migration of tumor cells as well as the trafficking and homing of cancer stem cells.
This review summarizes the information that has been obtained over the years regarding the role of CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling
in breast cancer, discusses its potential application to the development of new therapeutic tools for breast cancer control, and
elucidates the potential therapeutic challenges which lie ahead and the future directions that this field can take for the
improvement of prognosis in breast cancer patients. (ajcr0000162).
Keywords: CXCR4, CXCL12, breast cancer
Address all correspondence to:
Dr. Jihe Zhao, Burnett
School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine,
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827,
USA. Phone: 407-2667099; Fax: 407-2667002;
E-mail: jihe.zhao@ucf.edu
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American Journal of Cancer Research
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