Cell adhesion-mediated radioresistance revisited

Abstract

Purpose: Integrin-mediated adhesion of cells to proteins of the extracellular matrix modulates the cellular response to ionizing radiation in vitro. This mechanism might be in part causative for radiation and chemoresistance phenotypes in tumor cells.

Materials and methods: A PubMed database search was performed and the data were summarized with a focus on cell adhesion-mediated radioresistance (CAM-RR).

Results: Integrins and their associated downstream signaling pathways as well as cooperative interactions of integrins with receptor tyrosine kinases mediate defensive mechanisms that aggravate the therapeutic eradication of tumor cells by radiotherapy.

Conclusions: A better knowledge of the molecular composition and function of the multiprotein, multifunctional cell-matrix interactions mediating complexes termed focal adhesions may point at significant differences between normal and tumor cells, which could foster the development of novel targeted therapies in radiotherapy.

Keywords:

• Radiation resistance
• ECM
• integrins
• tumor