A comparative review on leukocyte and tumor cell migration with regard to the regulation by serpentine receptor ligands

Abstract

AbstractMigration is an essential function of cells; it is involved in reproduction and embryogenesis, as well as in the cellular, immunological defense of an organism against pathogens. On the pathological site, migration of tumor cells represents a pernicious step in the progression of cancer, because it is the prerequisite for invasion and metastasis development. In either case, migration is not an intrinsic property, but a cell function which is regulated by extracellular signal substances. The most prominent of these regulatory factors are ligands to serpentine receptors, e.g. chemokines and neurotransmitters. Many types of chemokine and neurotransmitter receptors are expressed on leukocytes and tumor cells, constituing a highly integrated interaction‐network of tumor cells, the nervous system, and the immune system. In this review we summarize current knowledge on the regulation of leukocyte and tumor cell migration by such ligands to serpentine receptors, and we furthermore highlight the differences between these cells in the intracellular processing of the regulatory signals. With this knowledge of the differences in the regulation of leukocyte and tumor cell migration it might be possible to develop strategies to selectively inhibit tumor cell migration and metastasis development without an impairment of the physiological migration, e.g. of leukocytes.