Pericytes in the tumor microenvironment

• Published in: Cancer letters 2023-03, Vol.556, p.216074, Article 216074
• Main Authors: Jiang, Zhongyi, Zhou, Jing, Li, Luohong, Liao, Shan, He, Junyu, Zhou, Shubo, Zhou, Yanhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Endothelial Cells; Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; Humans; Macrophages; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neovascularization, Pathologic - metabolism; Pericytes; Pericytes - metabolism; Tumor Microenvironment; Tumor therapy; Tumor-associated macrophages
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216074

Pericytes are a type of mural cell located between the endothelial cells of capillaries and the basement membrane, which function to regulate the capillary vasomotor and maintain normal microcirculation of local tissues and organs and have been identified as a significant component in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Pericytes have various interactions with different components of the TME, such as constituting the pre-metastatic niche, promoting the growth of cancer cells and drug resistance through paracrine activity, and inducing M2 macrophage polarization. While changes in the TME can affect the number, phenotype, and molecular markers of pericytes. For example, pericyte detachment from endothelial cells in the TME facilitates tumor cells in situ to invade the circulating blood and is beneficial to local capillary basement membrane enzymatic hydrolysis and endothelial cell proliferation and budding, which contribute to tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. In this review, we discuss the emerging role of pericytes in the TME, and tumor treatment related to pericytes. This review aimed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the function of pericytes and the relationship between pericytes and tumors and to provide ideas for the treatment and prevention of malignant tumors. •Pericytes deviate from normal vessels in the TME, and the phenotype changes simultaneously which promotes tumor angiogenesis.•Pericytes at the secondary sites participate in conctituting pre-metastatic niche before metastasis of cancer in situ.•Changes of pericytes make the new vessels immature, resulting in the formation of the hypoxic and acidic TME.•The bi-directional dialog between TAMs and pericytes influences the TME.•The hypoxic and acidic TME caused by changes of pericytes promotes EMT.