TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatic Stellate Cells Functional Heterogeneity in Liver Cancer
AU - Sererols-Viñas, Laura
AU - Garcia-Vicién, Gemma
AU - Ruiz-Blázquez, Paloma
AU - Lee, Ting Fang
AU - Lee, Youngmin A.
AU - Gonzalez-Sanchez, Ester
AU - Vaquero, Javier
AU - Moles, Anna
AU - Filliol, Aveline
AU - Affò, Silvia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the liver's pericytes, and play key roles in liver homeostasis, regeneration, fibrosis, and cancer. Upon injury, HSCs activate and are the main origin of myofibroblasts and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in liver fibrosis and cancer. Primary liver cancer has a grim prognosis, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the predominant type, followed by intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Moreover, the liver hosts 35% of all metastatic lesions. The distinct spatial distribution and functional roles of HSCs across these malignancies represent a significant challenge for universal therapeutic strategies, requiring a nuanced and tailored understanding of their contributions. This review examines the heterogeneous roles of HSCs in liver cancer, focusing on their spatial localization, dynamic interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME), and emerging therapeutic opportunities, including strategies to modulate their activity, and harness their potential as targets for antifibrotic and antitumor interventions.
AB - Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the liver's pericytes, and play key roles in liver homeostasis, regeneration, fibrosis, and cancer. Upon injury, HSCs activate and are the main origin of myofibroblasts and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in liver fibrosis and cancer. Primary liver cancer has a grim prognosis, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the predominant type, followed by intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Moreover, the liver hosts 35% of all metastatic lesions. The distinct spatial distribution and functional roles of HSCs across these malignancies represent a significant challenge for universal therapeutic strategies, requiring a nuanced and tailored understanding of their contributions. This review examines the heterogeneous roles of HSCs in liver cancer, focusing on their spatial localization, dynamic interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME), and emerging therapeutic opportunities, including strategies to modulate their activity, and harness their potential as targets for antifibrotic and antitumor interventions.
KW - cancer-associated fibroblasts
KW - hepatic stellate cells
KW - liver cancer
KW - tumor microenvironment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105001726341&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1055/a-2551-0724
DO - 10.1055/a-2551-0724
M3 - Article
C2 - 40043738
AN - SCOPUS:105001726341
SN - 0272-8087
JO - Seminars in Liver Disease
JF - Seminars in Liver Disease
ER -