Non-glycanated Decorin Is a Drug Target on Human Adipose Stromal Cells.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Adipose stromal cells (ASCs) have been identified as a mesenchymal cell population recruited from white adipose tissue (WAT) by tumors and supporting cancer progression. We have previously reported the existence of a non-glycanated decorin isoform (ngDCN) marking mouse ASCs. We identified a peptide CSWKYWFGEC that binds to ngDCN and hence can serve as a vehicle for ASC-directed therapy delivery. We used hunter-killer peptides composed of CSWKYWFGEC and a pro-apoptotic moiety to deplete ASCs and suppress growth of mouse tumors. Here, we report the discovery of the human non-glycanated decorin isoform. We show that CSWKYWFGEC can be used as a probe to identify ASCs in human WAT and tumors. We demonstrate that human ngDCN is expressed on ASC surface. Finally, we validate ngDCN as a molecular target for pharmacological depletion of human ASCs with hunter-killer peptides. We propose that ngDCN-targeting agents could be developed for obesity and cancer treatment.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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